What Makes a Hero
by Selphie Kinneas 175
Summary: TP. Perpetual twilight; clandestine malevolence. Realms linked by an encroaching darkness. The fate of two worlds hangs in the balance and only a hero can save them. A retelling of Twilight Princess.
1. Begin Again

**A/N: First off, I'm so glad you decided to click on my story! Now, it's my job to keep you here. **

Let me start by explaining that this story is, in fact, a novelization, but don't let that turn you away if that's not your thing. This is not the typical copy the game verbatim, walkthrough, direct rehash kind of novelization. This is a retelling of events and an account of what happened to our hero during his journey to save Hyrule from the Twilight. It shows how everything would have happened had this been an actual historical tale and a true, non-fiction story (of course there are unrealistic events that could not be avoided such as magic and the like, but you get the point). Thus, there are injuries, emotional breakdowns, relationship building, and points in which our hero barely makes it out alive.

After all, he wouldn't be considered a hero if it had been easy, right?

**Disclaimer: ***I do not own the Legend of Zelda.*

_This chapter was revised as of 12/27/12 - Prologue added, rewrote most of the chapter._

_This chapter was revised as of 5/6/13 - Minor errors and typos fixed._

_This chapter was revised as of 12/15/13 - Polished, enhanced by readers' criticisms._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Prologue

**.:.**

What is a hero?

Heroes are often thought of as fearsome warriors, slaying ferocious beasts and rescuing kingdoms from their terrors. Saving the innocent, protecting the weak, and pushing back evil in its every waking form.

That definition, though partially accurate, is a foolish one.

There is so much more to a hero than simply vanquishing those with malicious intent.

A true hero is someone that fights for what is just and does the right thing when no one is watching. Someone that puts others' wellbeing and happiness before their own. Someone that risks their lives for others with no thought of personal gain or glory. Someone that is noble and brave, ready to dive headfirst into peril when another is in danger. Someone that is humble and does not boast about their deeds. Someone that is often acknowledged by few, or even none, for their efforts, but one that would also have it no other way.

A true hero is an all-around good person who does the right thing despite the odds against them.

A true hero would die if it meant correcting the wrongs of the world and protecting the guiltless.

Heroes are few and far between in the land of Hyrule – only a handful have ever claimed the title for their own, and they have gone down in the history books as legends in their own right.

This is the story of one such hero and how he stepped forward and accepted his fate as the one chosen by the Goddesses.

This is the tale of what made Link of Ordon a hero.

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Chapter 1: Begin Again

**.:.**

As a young boy clothed in dirty rags and tattered cotton trotted through a seemingly endless wood atop his newly acquired companion, dusk slowly faded into bitter darkness around them.

It was the night of the third day, to be exact, and he was beginning to feel the toll taken on his small body from lack of food, water, and rest.

He had been wandering aimlessly for three days now without any idea where he was to go. He was only a young child, and he had just suffered an immense loss that no adolescent should ever have to endure. The events of what had happened replayed in his mind over and over again, like a broken record. He squinted his eyes tight and shook his head in a futile attempt to whisk the images from his mind's eye, but to no avail.

It all seemed like it had happened so quickly, and yet, it still seemed like it hadn't happened at all – like it was merely a horrifying nightmare that he would soon wake up from. He kept his ears sharp as he found himself periodically glancing at his surroundings optimistically, expecting the familiar faces to present themselves and tell him it was just a dream and that he was going to be okay. Each time he looked up and saw no one, however, it reminded him all over again that there was no possible way that was going to happen.

They had been celebrating his birthday a few days early due to work-related business requesting his father's presence on said day. The boy, his mother, and his father had all gathered around a small portion of pumpkin pie, their substitution for when wealthier people would often enjoy an elaborately decorated birthday cake. They were a poor, but humbled, family and delicacies such as cakes did not come lightly – besides, pumpkins were bountiful near their home and the young lad was plenty delighted with the simple pie anyway.

There were no wrapped gifts, no candles to blow out or anything of the sort, but he didn't mind. He had never known such a lifestyle, and yet he didn't care to know one. His parents had taught him that modesty and humility were some of the most important traits, and he had grown to live and breathe just that. He had never been the typical child who counted his gifts and weighted his material objects against his happiness – he honestly and truly found the most joy just being in the company of his father and mother. He had always been taught from early on that nothing in life is guaranteed, and he lived each day cheerfully when he awoke to find that everything was just as it was the night before.

They had always lived in a small hut on the outskirts of Hyrule Field, far away from any other towns of villages. They lived alone, their house the only house for miles. They had a stable, however, for the father's horse, along with a few patches of soil in which to grow their own vegetables, but that was the extent of their property. The parents knew of the importance in their bloodline and felt that being away from busy, bustling towns would be safer than being right in the middle of one – they figured no one could find them at this location.

After the small celebration, his father had told him to step outside; that he had a surprise for him. The young boy obliged joyfully, expecting a new lesson on tending to their garden or his highest hope, a new trowel in which to dig more efficient holes for planting pumpkin seeds. He followed his father eagerly, excited to possibly learn something new. What his eyes beheld when he stepped over the threshold, however, forced his jaw to almost hit the dirt.

It was a small, chestnut foal.

The boy's father had always owned a horse, seeing as he had to frequently travel to distant lands and faraway places when he was called to duty, but he never thought _he_ would get to have a horse to call his own. His parents had been saving up their every penny for this gift for some years now, mutually agreeing that their son would need a trusty steed as he got older to aid him in his everyday tasks as he grew up and took on more work – they also hoped it would help him learn responsibility.

He leapt up and down in sheer exhilaration, blabbering incessantly to his father about getting on the filly right that very instant. His father laughed at his boy's display of enthusiasm just before nodding and grabbing a nearby saddle.

After readying the small girl for a ride, his father turned to him and asked, "Well, son, what are you going to name her?"

The young, sandy blond-haired boy thought for a moment, trying to recall the name of a famous horse he had heard his mother tell him stories about. He remembered she had told him that it was the mare of an ancient hero that was of some distant relation to him, and he had instantly become intrigued by the man. Hoping to follow in his footsteps, the name suddenly came to him.

"Epona," he finally whispered, his father staring at him for a moment, wondering if his boy would be the next in line to endure such a cruel fate…

His father had lost himself in thought for a moment, praying silently to the Goddesses that he would not have to witness his son go through such hardship. He hoped beyond hope that the need of a hero would not be for some generations still, not wanting any of his kin to put their lives on the line.

The boy quickly pulled his father from his thoughts as he began tugging at his shirt and begging him to go for a ride together. He smiled at his son and prepared his own white stallion, his mother waving to them with a grin as they galloped away.

Riding horseback came natural to the young lad, but his father was not shocked in the slightest as he had come to realize over the years that most physical things came naturally to his son. He had always been a fast runner and an avid tree climber. He still remembered the first time his son had fallen from the top of an enormous oak tree – he hadn't even cried. He was also incredibly strong for his age; he often helped his father with saddling his large horse and he carried bags of heavy soil for his mother when gardening.

They talked and chattered about unimportant things, the boy thanking his father endlessly for such an amazing birthday gift. When his son had asked him if he was sure he could keep such a gift, and he had gone on to say that he was more concerned that they had money to put food on the table, his father had to fight to keep from displaying the sadness that overwhelmed him on his face. Even though living without much money had indeed humbled each member of the family and made them all much closer than they might have been otherwise, he never wanted his child to worry about such adult matters.

He assured his son that the gift was his to keep and the boy wore a huge grin, practically ear to ear as he gave his newfound friend a loving pat, receiving a gleeful whinny in return.

The cool wind, the breeze in his hair, riding alongside his father… he felt wonderful; he never wanted this to end.

"Father?" the boy spoke up.

"Yes, son?" he replied, neither one looking at the other.

"I want to be just like you when I grow up, do you think I can?" he asked enthusiastically, turning to look at the older man for an answer.

His father thought for a moment before stopping his mount to look into his son's eyes, the boy following suit as he brought his horse to a halt as well.

"No, son, I have a feeling you're going to be much more than that," he responded with a smile.

The young boy seemed confused at that statement; he didn't want to be more than that, he wanted to be just like his father. But before another word could be uttered, an exceptionally loud _bang_ sounded throughout the field, coming from the direction of their home.

Their hearts jumped at the startling sound, and they immediately turned to see smoke rising from the tops of the trees.

"Oh Goddesses…" the father whispered, not loud enough to worry his boy. "Son, listen to me," he began urgently as he placed a hand on his shoulder, getting the young one's attention, "You must ride Epona as far away as you can and do not look back. Find a village or a town but do not follow me whatever you do, do you understand?"

He most certainly did not understand. The older man began turning his ivory steed around just before giving his son one more glance.

"Father! Wai-," he yelled, trying to follow after him.

"Do as I say, son!" he commanded firmly, his voice then taking a softer tone as he said, "Stay safe. I love you," and he rode off in the direction of the flames - the direction of their home.

The young boy stopped abruptly as he watched his father ride away through the trees, to where he could no longer see him galloping off.

He remained motionless atop his foal for quite some time. He was dumbfounded and completely confused; what had just happened? He didn't understand…

When was he going to see his father and mother again? Why didn't his father want him to come back home? Was he not wanted anymore? He didn't understand!

He was far too young to comprehend what had happened. Having been suddenly left alone, feeling vulnerable, lost, and worried, he began to cry silently. He was unsure of what was going to happen to him or what was going to happen to his parents, and he didn't know if he should do what his father instructed of him or wait for him to return. He was just so confused…

He continued to sit there stationary until he heard rustling in the trees heading his way, followed by a not-so-distant voice calling to him.

"I know you're out here…" the raspy voice said, sounding beast-like, "I won't hurt you… _much_," it spoke again with a deep, harsh sound as it laughed at its own statement.

The boy didn't move; he wasn't sure what to do. Epona began getting frazzled as the rustling came closer and closer to them.

"I'm going to let you be with your mommy and daddy. Don't you want to see them?" it said again as it finally emerged from the trees and shrubs.

It was a grotesque looking creature with skin as green as the trees and eyes as red as blood. It was fat and disturbing to behold, completely unlike anything the young child had seen before. It was perched atop a massive boar that was almost as hideous as its rider.

A sudden and inexplicable courage grew in the pit of the boy's stomach, and from somewhere he didn't even know, he yelled, "What did you do to my father and mother!"

The creature cackled maniacally just before pulling a bloodied corpse out from behind him, "Sorry I don't have your mommy for show and tell; all that's left is ashes."

His father had spent many years perfecting the art of battle, but he was no hero, and the hideous troll had clearly overpowered him.

All the color and liveliness of the boy's face was instantly washed away like water down a sink. He became like stone, unable to move and unable to utter a sound. So many emotions were raging inside him that he couldn't contain them all.

Anger and the eagerness to get revenge. Sadness and the disbelief that he was truly witnessing what was before him. Anguish and the agony of beholding the dead body of his father. Despair in realizing that he was now completely and utterly alone in the world.

The monster did not stop laughing, and it was then that his father's words popped back into his mind, _"Ride Epona as far away as you can and do not look back. Find a village or a town but do not follow me whatever you do."_

He couldn't let his parents' deaths be in vain; he knew he had to get to safety.

A suddenly mature grip on the gravity of the situation snapped him from his thoughts and spurred him into action. He whipped Epona around and gave her a stern kick, sending her racing off in the opposite direction of the flames, his home, and the wicked demon that murdered his parents.

"Get back here, scum!" he could hear the foul beast shout from behind him, but he didn't look back.

He nudged Epona harder and darted in and out of the underbrush, quickly maneuvering around large tree trunks and massive bushes in hopes that he would lose his pursuer. He had continued running his foal long after the sounds of galloping hooves behind them had diminished. Partially to be safe, but mostly in hopes that if he ran far enough it would erase what had happened.

That was everything he could remember up until this point. By now he had been riding for days with no idea where he was, but he didn't care. Now he was an orphan; he had no parents, no family, and no friends. Where was he supposed to go?

He didn't bother stifling the sobs as he trekked on, looking for any sign of civilization to give him shelter or at least food.

They had passed by a small stream near the morning of the second day, giving the boy and his mare a way to quench their thirst. He could tell Epona was in need of a good night's rest and a decent meal just as he was, but he didn't know what to do for either of them, so they continued on.

As he counted the suns that set and rose each day, he realized that today had been his actual birthday as the last light faded over the horizon. He was ten years old today.

Night began falling all around him, and he started to shiver from the coldness that arrived with the absence of sunlight; it was at least warmer than the previous nights, he thought – maybe he was getting closer to a village.

He blinked and rubbed his eyes as he thought he imagined lamplight coming into view, moving closer toward it. He emerged in an open clearing from the forest with a path leading down toward what appeared to be a small town of some sort, but he wasn't sure, and he thought he might be dreaming or seeing things by now. As he inched forward, he hadn't noticed the man stationed on a tree stump a few feet in front of him, guarding the path toward what he assumed was a village.

The man noticed him approaching, but in the cover of nightfall he could not tell if the intruder meant harm or came in peace. Being cautious, as was required in the middle of the night, he stood up, yelling, "You there! What business do you have in Ordon at this late hour?"

Fear froze the boy in his spot, and it was at that moment that the lack of food, water, sleep and the addition of severe stress and depression hit him, and he was instantaneously lightheaded and woozy. His mount came to a halt, sensing her new master's current state. His vision began to blur and his heart pounded in his ears. He reached a hand up to his aching head just before everything went black and the sensation of falling swept over him.

The man noticed him hit the ground with a thud, Epona rearing up and whinnying at the occurrence, and he approached the form apprehensively. As he got closer, he began to realize that his figure was much too small to be of any threat. The man knelt down and turned him over onto his back, "Goddesses, it's just a child," he whispered to himself, now worried for the poor boy's health.

The stranger lifted him up into his strong arms and began carrying him down the path and into his village, Epona following close behind – she had already grown quite attached to her owner by now and didn't want to leave his side.

As the man entered the small settlement with the motionless boy in his arms, some of the other villagers began to crowd around – it was nighttime but the sun had just barely set, and everyone was busy bringing their days to a close just before retiring into their homes for the night. Some followed silently while others more curious asked questions. He continued down the dirt road until he reached a house in front of a flowing stream where a young woman was waiting for him in the doorway.

"Oh my…" she mumbled, clasping a hand over her mouth as she stepped out of the way so that the man could get inside.

He laid the young boy down on a sofa in the middle of the small dwelling. The woman closed the door behind the few others that had followed him into their home and went over to her crying baby in a high chair near the couch.

"Who's that?" one of the adolescent female villagers asked curiously.

"I don't know," the man answered quietly as he proceeded to tell the story of how the boy came to him on the outskirts of the town.

"He looks so young," another rather large man pointed out, "Look at that… he has pointed ears."

"So he does," the boy's rescuer responded as he fully looked him over.

As his gaze descended to that of the child's hand, he noticed a familiar mark that he had seen in many places across Hyrule as well as in many history books, "Goddesses…"

"What is it, dear?" the young woman asked, the small baby now balanced on her hip.

"This boy…" he began, everyone leaning in closer to see what he was gaping at, "He has the mark of the Goddesses; he has the mark of the triforce."

The young ones had heard stories about it, but weren't really sure of its importance. The adults in the room knew all about it, though, for it was Hyrule's most important history.

"Do you think…?" the rotund man began, but stopped himself when the young boy's eyes began flickering open.

"Boy," the first man called, "Can you hear me?"

The small child coughed slightly as the various colored shapes and forms flooded into his weary eyes, "Y-Yes…" he replied nervously, unsure if he could trust these strangers.

"What is your name?" he asked again, kneeling on the floor next to the sofa.

The boy continued fluttering his eyes, trying to clear his vision, "Link…" he answered shyly.

The two men exchanged knowing glances.

Just then, a very young girl with blonde hair, the daughter of the plump man, jumped up close to the boy's face and asked, "How old are you?"

"Um," he thought for a moment, the events of the last few days flooding his mind slowly but steadily, "Today is my birthday… I just turned ten…" he whispered.

The girl shrieked, "I'm almost ten, too!"

"Pff," another adolescent boy with a long face and short brown hair spoke up, "I've _been_ ten," teasing the girl as she threw a bit of a tantrum at his declaration.

"I wasn't asking _you_, Fado!" she yelled in return.

"Tell me, Link… What were you doing in the woods at such a late hour? Have you any idea the dangers that await in the forest at night?" the first man continued asking questions.

"I…" he began quietly, "I was just trying to find somewhere to go… I've been wandering the woods for a few days…"

"Oh, you must be starved!" the woman with the baby yelped.

"What of your parents?" the tall man asked again, raising an eyebrow in his direction.

Link's eyes began watering uncontrollably at that inquiry, but he answered it nonetheless, "They were killed…" he responded as the two children and the young mother gasped.

"Oh my!" the short, blonde haired female shrilled, the baby on her hip getting crabby from her sudden convulsion, "Rusl, we must let him stay with us."

The man she had referred that statement to was her husband, her infant's father, and the man who found Link outside the village. His heart sank for the boy, and he didn't argue with his wife's statement in the slightest.

"You may stay here as long as you like."

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_**A second chance.**_

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**A/N: **I hope the start of this story was enough to keep you wanting more! I'm so glad you decided to read it and I hope you will continue on this journey with me until the very end.

**Just a quick note… **I know it seems like Fado is a lot older than Link in the game, but in the official strategy guide under the bio about Fado it says, "A friend of yours and around your age (about 17)." All the ages I have for all the characters (just for future reference) are taken straight from the official guide, just to let you know so there's no confusion about why certain characters might seem to be at a strange age.


	2. A New Family

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 12/30/12 – Mostly rewritten, added scene._

_This chapter was revised as of 5/6/13 – Minor errors and typos fixed._

_This chapter was revised as of 12/15/13 – Polished, enhanced by readers' criticisms._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 2: A New Family

**.:.**

A mere two days had come and gone since young Link found himself in the unfamiliar village of Ordon, but he had not yet left Rusl and Uli's sofa. He couldn't get the image of his father's corpse out of his mind – no child should ever have to lay eyes on a dead, mangled body, especially that of a parent or loved one.

His hosts often brought him food and water, but seldom did he take either. The boy began getting frustrated when the young mother tried to force him to eat or drink, even though she only had his well-being in mind. He did not yet feel well enough to satisfy his hunger or thirst, and being in the state of shock in which he was in, he hardly even noticed his grumbling stomach or his dry throat.

He was grateful for the company and the caring hands of these strangers, but he honestly wanted nothing more than to be left alone where he could cry without anyone watching over him.

He was not yet strong enough to step out of the little house and greet the stark, new reality that awaited him. It wasn't physical strength he lacked, but mental and emotional. Suddenly having the only family he'd ever known taken away from him and being unable to return to the one place he had called home his entire life was immensely frightening. What was he going to do now? Where was he going to live? Who was going to care for him?

Who would he go to when he simply needed a loving hug? He sobbed just thinking about it.

Days continued to whisk by and Link stayed put on that same sofa. Sometimes he cried gently, others he bawled uncontrollably, but most times he was simply there, staring straight ahead with a glazed over look in his eyes and an agonized expression on his young features. He kept closing his eyes and trying to fall asleep, unconsciousness being the only time that he could escape from the horrible image in his mind and the unnerving reality that he was now an orphan.

Rusl and Uli didn't know what to do for him other than simply leaving him alone as much as he wished it, which was most of the time. He wasn't trying to come off as rude or unappreciative, he just didn't know how to continue on after what had happened.

He couldn't shake the feeling that this was all a nightmare. He kept pinching himself, hoping to find himself waking up in his comfortable bed, in his cozy home, with his loving parents greeting him at the start of a new day. But every time he opened his eyes he saw that he was in the house of a stranger without anyone he could readily talk to. With every waking moment all he felt was utter loss and despair – he wanted nothing more than to be rid of all those horrible feelings.

He was realizing that he just wasn't himself anymore. Since that first night that he came to the village, he hadn't spoken. It was as if his voice had gotten up and left him of its own accord; they hadn't heard him utter a single word since his arrival. When they would try to speak with him, he would simply show his response by shaking his head, but most times he showed no acknowledgement at all.

He didn't feel like the same happy, smiling boy who he had always known himself to be. But then again, what reason did he have to be happy and smiling now?

Rusl had been checking on him continually as he slept, just to make sure that he was still alright. He couldn't fathom what the boy was going through, as he had been much older when his parents had departed Hyrule for the Sacred Realm, and his mother and father had gone at separate times. Not only that, but they weren't viciously _murdered_. Rusl sighed as just the thought of how this child must be feeling made his heart ache.

Other than being worried for the boy's wellbeing, Rusl had also been very intrigued by his appearance. His clothes were torn and dirt was plastered to his face and body in various places. His pointed ears had been of much interest as the Ordonian did not see people of true Hylian lineage very often. There were only about a handful of people in the kingdom with pointed ears, most of which consisting of the royal family.

The thing that caught the older man's attention the most, however, had been the glowing, golden triangle on the boy's left hand – it was the very symbol of the Goddesses themselves, and it wasn't placed on just _anybody_. The day after his arrival, though, Rusl noticed that the Triforce had completely faded away.

Despite his rugged guise, the swordsman had read many books on Hyrule's history in his time and took a strong interest in the matters of the Triforce and the Goddesses simply because he found them fascinating. He remembered reading in one of the texts that the mark of the Triforce would only manifest itself on the Chosen Hero when he was of age to become as such. Rusl ran his mind ragged thinking about this peculiar boy and what he saw on his hand that day. Had it even really been there at all?

There was simply no possible way this could truly be _the_ Link that would grow up to save Hyrule from whatever evil was to plague it in the future. There was just _no_ _way_ he had a young hero residing in his home. After contemplating it for much too long, he merely settled his arguing thoughts on the idea that perhaps the boy had had dirt on his hand, and he had hastily jumped to conclusions; this boy being the next legendary hero was simply preposterous.

It was almost a week to the day when Link finally agreed to step outside the house with Rusl. It had taken some convincing, but he eventually obliged. The young boy thought that the only thing they would be doing was getting some fresh air, but what he didn't know was that Rusl had gathered every inhabitant of the village for a small luncheon feast to welcome the town's new resident.

They were a simple people, but they took great pride in caring greatly for one another as well as others. Each and every individual in Ordon considered their fellow villagers as their family, and they were all very close to each other. Every birthday, every anniversary, every _anything_… they celebrated by gathering together in the center of the village.

Before any of this was planned, Rusl went to each family and told them of the young boy who had stumbled into their midst. He informed them of the manner of his appearance, and the few things that he had mentioned about himself on the night of his arrival. Everyone instantly felt sympathy for the poor youth; it was a horrible thought to imagine what it must feel like for such a young child to suddenly lose everything they ever knew and loved. Driven by their kindness and their compassion, the village unanimously decided that formally welcoming the young lad into their community was necessary.

As soon as Link took a step onto the dirt of Rusl and Uli's doorstep, he was instantly blinded by the sun, and instinctively he raised his forearm to block his eyes from the bright rays. After his eyesight adjusted, he saw a large banquet table set up in the middle of the small village, and seated around it were people he didn't recognize (save a few from the night of his arrival).

He saw kids around his age, kids littler than him, as well as adults all smiling in his direction and seemingly excited to greet him. He just didn't feel ready.

He immediately got the urge to turn around and run back into the cottage and onto the sofa, the only place he felt safe and comfortable anymore, but Rusl blocked his path.

"Hey now," his deep voice spoke up, "don't you want to meet the people that are going to be your friends and neighbors?"

Link looked up at him blankly, unsure of what to say. At first he wanted so desperately to start crying and say, '_no_,' but something stronger inside him prevented that. After a few silent moments of deliberation and calming of his inner anxieties, the only thing he gave in response was a slight nod.

Rusl smiled and patted the boy's shoulder comfortingly, leaving it there as he led him to the villagers that were excited to meet him. When they saw that Link was now willing and ready, everyone stood, eager to introduce themselves and learn about their newest neighbor.

Before the young boy could even reach the table, a blonde-haired girl who he vaguely remembered seeing the night he arrived bolted up to him.

"Hi! I'm Ilia! You said your name is Link, right?" she chirped enthusiastically, only inches from his face. Her curly blonde hair was high above her shoulders, and her eyes were a piercing shade of emerald.

Link jumped back a bit, alarmed, and took a moment to regain his composure before giving the young girl a nod in affirmation.

She squealed in excitement and clasped her hands together as she responded, "We're gonna be the best of friends, Link! Just you wait and see!"

For the first time in what seemed like forever, a miniscule smile tugged at the corners of Link's lips, but if one wasn't paying close attention, it would have been impossible to spot.

At that moment, a large, corpulent man came up from behind the girl. Noticing that she was directly in the newcomer's personal space, he said, "Now, Ilia, don't frighten the lad." He then turned his gaze to the boy, "Link! I'm Bo, mayor of this great village! You'll like it here, I can guarantee ya that!"

Link was silent and unsure of what to say. Noticing this, Bo began taking the initiative of the introductions. Rusl released his grip on the youth's shoulder, relinquishing him to be guided by the mayor.

"Well, I see that you've met Ilia; she's my daughter," Bo began, Ilia smiling brightly upon the mention of her name. The mayor then pointed to three people behind Ilia, saying, "And this here is Hanch, Sera, and little Beth."

Hanch was a short, thin man with brown hair. His wife, Sera, however, was quite large in comparison. Her hair was a lighter shade of brown and was tied up in two buns. Their daughter, Beth, was rather tall for her age, clearly taking after her mother. Her short, light brunette hair was adorned with a red headband, and dozens of freckles danced on her pale skin beneath her cerulean eyes.

"I'm not little!" the small, four-year-old girl shrilled angrily, crossing her arms over her chest in a fit, resulting in unwanted laughter from the adults.

He continued, "Now that there is Jaggle, Pergie, and Talo," as he pointed to another family at the opposite side of the table.

Jaggle was a short man much like Hanch, and he was also a brunet. His wife, Pergie, was a bit taller than her husband with her coffee-colored hair tied back. Their son, Talo, had the same green eyes as his mother, and his chocolate locks were mostly covered by a red bandana. It was clear that this little boy was a rambunctious one.

"Tay-oh!" the young boy shouted; an attempt at his name. He had just turned two and therefore did not know much else in words beyond his given name.

Link glanced at each person in turn as their name was stated, trying to memorize the face and the name together. He also couldn't help but smile at the littlest ones.

"You remember me, don'tcha?" a boy about Link's age bounded up to him, the same one from the night he stumbled into Ordon. He had a long face and a large nose with freckles sparsely decorating his cheeks.

Link took a short minute to recover from the sudden outburst, blinked, and then nodded slowly.

"I'm Fado!" he said with a grin and a thick country accent. Link nodded again, signifying without words that he understood. After shaking hands, Fado went back to his respective place at the table.

The mayor was about to carry on, but Rusl stepped forward and took the reins in order to best introduce his family, saying, "I'm Rusl, my wife's name is Uli," he continued, the young, fair-haired woman coming closer along with their one-year-old boy, "And our son here is Colin," the baby cooed and reached out for Link's finger.

Finally having the opportunity to take in his caregivers' appearances, they didn't seem so intimidating. Rusl had sandy-blond hair and a thick, dark mustache above his thin lips. Almost invisible crow's feet surrounded the man's teal eyes, and his five o' clock shadow was thinly spread across his cleft chin. His wife, Uli, was young and had delicate, feminine features. Her golden hair was cut in a short bob and her eyes matched that of her young son's. Their boy, Colin, was very small. His little tuft of hair – much like his irises – were identical to his mother's.

Link smiled at the infant and gave him what he was reaching for. The tiny baby grasped his index finger tightly and grinned widely with a hearty, squealing laughter.

Rusl then spoke up again, kneeling down to be at the boy's eyelevel, "Link… I don't know what has happened to you, I don't know exactly who you are, where you have come from, or if fate has brought you to us, but as far as everyone in this village is concerned, this is your new home," he stood up, outstretching his arms, "All of this is a celebration of the newest member to the family that is Ordon Village!"

With that, light cheering swept over the group universally. Link tried to hide it, and he felt guilty for having even the smallest of joyful feelings, but he had to smile; he had never witnessed this degree of kindness in people who were not his parents.

Rusl then took on a disparaging expression, "Well, you know, Link… I don't believe you've introduced yourself to all of the villagers. In _fact_, I don't even think most of them have heard you speak," he said teasingly, glancing at Link from the corner of his eye.

Link gazed up at him for a few moments, then down to the ground as he tried to find his voice. Did he even still have a voice? Or had it gotten up and left like almost all else he had grown accustomed to in his life? He cleared his throat, trying to remember how to speak.

"Um," he began quietly.

He looked up and noticed that everyone was watching and waiting for something, anything, to be said. Normally, speaking to people wouldn't have been a problem for Link in the slightest, but he was still emotionally and mentally drained from the death of his parents. He looked to the town's entrance, half expecting to see his father come galloping in on his steed, pick him up, and take him back home to his mother. When it didn't happen, he let his gaze fall back down to the earth at his feet.

In his mind, introducing himself to these people meant agreeing to becoming a part of their village and their lives, in turn, meaning that his parents were truly gone. Accepting their offer meant that they would become his new family, and that he would have to leave his old one behind.

A courage and acceptance far beyond his young years told him it was going to be okay, that these people would love him and think of him as one of their own, and that he had to accept that this was a new chapter in his life.

It was time to conclude the old one.

"Hi everyone," he spoke up, "I'm… Link."

Smiling, it seemed, had become contagious. Each person grinned widely as they then, in turn, went up to Link for a more proper welcoming. Some of the women and children gave him hugs and chatted him up a little bit, while the men gave him a firm handshake or a clap on the back and welcomed him to the village.

"Everyone," Bo's booming voice sounded over everything else, "Let's feast!"

The meal lasted several hours; most of them spent simply chatting. Many of the adults tried to ask Link about his previous life, but Rusl was quick to nip that kind of talk in the bud; he knew the lad wasn't ready to discuss it just yet and that he wouldn't be for quite some time.

About halfway through the lunch, Rusl pulled Link aside in order to talk with him one on one. Link looked nervous as the older man knelt down to his eyelevel and placed his hands on the boy's shoulders.

"Are you alright with all this?" he asked.

Link was still for a moment, slightly confused, before giving a nod.

"Good. I just want to make sure that you're comfortable. I can only imagine what you must be feeling, and I didn't want myself and the rest of the village to make you feel uneasy if you aren't feeling up to mingling just yet."

Link remained quiet.

Rusl furrowed his brow, having found himself so far unsuccessful at getting the boy to speak comfortably with him. He thought for a moment and then said, "Are you afraid?"

The young lad looked up at him a bit perplexedly, expecting the older man to elaborate on his question. When no such thing occurred, the boy took a moment to think… Was he afraid? Afraid of what? He pondered it long and hard, coming to the realization that there was so much to be scared of: the uncertainty of what was going to happen to him now, the unknown in being away from all that he had grown used to, and so much more.

He nodded slightly, "I am…"

Rusl gave him a soft smile, showing that he truly cared, "That's a good thing. It shows that you have accepted what has happened and that you are looking to the future. It might seem bleak or even rather terrifying right now, but I want to assure you that you can and _will_ find solace in these people, in _us_. We all treat one another as if we were all related by blood. I want you to think of us as your new family. Do you think you can do that?"

Link tried fighting the tears, but one drop inevitably made its way from his lashes, and he quickly wiped it away with a nod.

"I want to hear you say it," Rusl demanded gently.

The boy took in a deep breath and said, "I can do that."

Rusl grinned and pulled the anxious child in for a hug. Link was too surprised at first to react, but it only took a matter of seconds before he realized just how much he had been in need of a loving embrace, and he returned the gesture. They pulled away not too soon after and exchanged knowing smiles before heading back to the table.

Not long after the children had finished eating, they quickly became bored with the adults having uninteresting conversations at the table and decided to leave to go play.

"Gee, grown-ups are _so_ boring!" the young, blonde girl stated.

"I know… Hey! Wanna go play with the goats? I bet we could get one real angry and have it chase us!" Fado suggested enthusiastically.

Ilia gave him a look, "Why would I want to be chased by an angry goat, Fado? Gosh, you say the stupidest things!"

"Gee, Ilia, you don't have to be so darn _mean_," Fado said dismissively, resulting in quiet laughter from Link that he could not stifle.

"I think we should go play with the horsies! They're much more fun than those smelly goats!"

Ilia's last words sent shocking realization through Link's small body in a flash. His jaw dropped and his eyes widened, no longer hearing the two as they bickered about what they were going to play. He frantically began looking around in every direction, obviously looking for something in particular.

"What is it?" the brown-haired boy questioned.

"Are you wondering where your horse is?" Ilia asked, her hands on her hips.

Link's gaze instantly locked into her's, and he nodded frenetically.

"Well, maybe you should pay more attention to her!" she barked angrily.

Fado rolled his eyes, "Gosh, Ilia, if ya know where his pony is, why don'tcha just tell him?"

Ilia scoffed, "Fine!"

Link followed behind as the three eldest of the children ran up a small hill to an open field where they came to a barn.

"She's in there," Ilia pointed, but Link was already running there as fast as he could.

He took one step into the worn out shed and instantly saw his beloved birthday gift. He sprinted over to his filly and threw his arms around her neck as he pet her mane. The biggest grin he had produced in days was now embedded on his lips; at least he had one loved one from his family left, and that was all he needed.

Somehow, as he held onto his adored friend, he knew that he was going to be okay. It was in that single, simple moment that he knew everything would be alright. Without a doubt, he also knew it would be hard and painful, going through life without his father and mother, but he thanked the Goddesses that he was lucky enough to be brought to this village in all of Hyrule. Despite what had just happened to him, he still felt like one of the luckiest children in the land.

He had lost his family, but he had gained a new one.

Link turned around to face Ilia, "Thanks… you know, for-"

"Yeah, I know," she smiled, no longer able to be upset with him after his display of affection for his mare, "I can see she really likes you. Just don't forget about her again!"

Link grinned as he turned back to his companion, "I won't."

* * *

**_When one door closes, another opens._**


	3. Learning

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 12/30/12 – Mostly rewritten, added scene._

_This chapter was revised as of 5/7/13 – Minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 3: Learning

**.:.**

Time never seemed to go by as quickly as it had in the last three years.

Three whole years had flown by since Link stumbled aimlessly into his new home. It had been remarkably easy to adjust to the community, and it had been even easier for him to fit right into his new family. Rusl and Uli took to him like parents, keeping after him and caring for him as if he were their own, and as soon as Colin could form words he let everyone know just how fond he was of his big brother figure.

Link had become very close with many of the villagers, and he had learned many things about them and their families.

Jaggle and Pergie had always wanted more than one child, and around a year ago their wish had been granted with their second son that they named Malo. Talo wasn't sure how he felt about no longer being an only child, but he eventually got over it. It surprised everyone in the village how advanced the new addition to their family had been beyond his years.

Hanch and Sera hadn't changed much other than their constant quarreling. Over time it became very obvious that their only daughter, Beth, had a massive crush on Link.

A month or two after his arrival in Ordon, Link had taken an interest in helping more around the village. It was then that Fado suggested he take up goat herding with him. After working on the ranch together for a few months, the two became close friends, and one night after work Fado had relayed some of his personal past to his newfound friend. He told Link that evening that his mother had died during childbirth, and his father had passed on after suffering from a terrible pandemic that also took the life of Ilia's mother.

With the passing of his father, Fado took over the ranch at a very young age. Having spent the entirety of his adolescent life in his father's footsteps learning the ways of tending to the animals, he was plenty knowledgeable even at his immature age. However, he did have the occasional loose goat and the frequent difficulties in getting the creatures to obey him, thus his need for assistance in Link, which he gladly accepted.

Both of them being orphaned at such a young age had brought the two even closer together – they understood how the other felt, which most of the other villagers couldn't relate to. There were differences though, such as the fact that Fado at least had the rest of the townsfolk that he had considered like aunts and uncles to comfort him when his father passed. And Link having seen his father's bloodied corpse was something that no one could ever relate to, but having someone like Fado that could at least understand a good portion of it was more than enough for him.

Fado was not the only Ordonian that Link became very close to. Over the years, he and Ilia had formed a very strong relationship. She confided in him like she never had another in her young existence, and she felt as if she could trust him with her very life.

One particular early morning, the two friends were seated in front of the spirit's spring as they had often enjoyed doing.

"I love it here," the fair-haired girl stated with a long, content exhale as she stretched her arms up over her head. She looked to Link, "Don't you?"

He glanced over at her, gave her a happy nod, and turned back to gaze upon the spring.

"It's so… calm and soothing here. Even though I do enjoy coming by myself to think, it's really even better when you come with me," Ilia said as she looked at Link, who had his eyes fixed on the water. She knew he was listening to her without the need of his eye contact (he was the best listener she ever knew), but she was desperately trying to open her heart to him.

"Link?" she began, getting his attention immediately.

He turned to her with a small smile, awaiting what she had to say.

She glanced down at the shallow waters rippling against her bare feet, contemplating what she would say next and how she would say it. She opened her mouth, the words just seconds from bursting out of her lungs, but then she took them back.

"Oh, never mind," she giggled, "It's nothing."

Link furrowed his brow a bit, knowing full well that she _did_ have something to say, "Ilia, it's something. What is it? Is something wrong?"

Ilia laughed slightly at his eagerness to make sure she was alright, "No, no, nothing's wrong. It's nothing."

He gave her a look, "Ilia, you know I know you better than that. Tell me."

She shook her head.

"Come on, you know what want to tell me," he said with a pleasing grin.

She shook her head again, trying to keep back the giggles as she smiled and covered her mouth with her hands.

"Alright, fine," he gave in, "But you owe me."

"Yeah, yeah," she shrugged off his words before heaving a sigh and saying, "I guess I should go. See you later, Link."

With that, she waved goodbye and was off in an instant.

Slightly perplexed, the young, sandy-blond haired boy faced the spring yet again. He could tell she had wanted to say something, but hadn't the slightest clue what it could've been. He dismissed it, though, knowing that she had always been one for dramatics and that if it was something truly bugging her it would come out eventually.

The spring had become something of a place of solace and solitude for Link. He came here often to ponder things that were not typical of others his age. He thought of life, his future, and his past. The horrifying image of his father was one that haunted him ceaselessly through the years without fail. It had been a recurring nightmare, plaguing his sleep most every night.

Having been living in Rusl and Uli's home all this time, they noticed how frequently he tossed and turned in his sleep, mumbling incoherencies all the while. He also quite often would sit up straight in bed, having previously been deep in sleep, in a cold sweat and proclaiming that 'it' was coming for him. Rusl or Uli, whichever had hastened to him that particular time, would always ask, 'What is?' and Link would simply say, 'The monster,' and drift back off to sleep.

The young parents did all they could to keep him occupied during the day and to keep his mind on happy things, but they knew that wouldn't erase the images or memories from the boy's mind, as much as they wished it could.

He came to this spring to try to forget the last way in which he had seen his father. He wanted to remember him how he had grown up knowing him: strong, courageous, and kind. But all he could picture when he thought of his father, now, was the mangled corpse being held up by that demon that had killed him.

Link closed his eyes and shook his head, a futile attempt at shaking the image away. As the years went on and he grew older, an anger began to well up inside him that was very uncharacteristic of him. He thought often of getting revenge on the ogre that took his parents from him, and he wanted to grow tall and strong so that he could kill that beast one day in the future.

He reopened his eyes and fixed his gaze on the trickling waters before him, concentrating on the soothing sound of running water and the beauty of the sun's rays dancing off of its surface. He took in a deep breath, held it for a moment, and released it slowly, doing his best to push away the thoughts of his parents that taunted him his every waking moment.

"Hey," a deep voice slightly startled Link from behind.

His head whirled around to see who had spoken and not to his surprise, it was Rusl.

Link nodded to him in greeting with a 'hey' of his own as the scruffy, older man sat down beside him.

"So… thirteen years old, eh?"

Link smiled widely and gave a nod. It had been a few days since his birthday, but the excitement still took root, as it often did in many children, younger _or_ older.

Rusl looked the boy over, deliberating something in his mind. He appeared to be so serene as he gazed out over the water.

"If you don't mind," Rusl began, "I'd like to ask you about your parents; everything you remember of them."

Link turned to him a bit taken aback, and silence befell them for some time. He looked down at the dirt at his feet and then closed his eyes. He wondered why Rusl would ask him this, but he didn't question it; he came to realize that his mentor only ever brought up things that were completely necessary, for some reason or another.

He didn't want to have to remember this again – he had only just succeeded in forgetting it seconds earlier, after all. But he did so nonetheless.

"My parents were happy and humble… but were not wealthy. We lived in a small cottage on the outskirts of Hyrule. We didn't leave home much. At least, my mother and I didn't. My mother stayed home and instructed me. My father… he left home quite often."

"What did he do?"

"He was a Hylian soldier… of sorts. Father told me it was required of knights to live in the castle, and not doing so made him unofficial. The king disapproved of any of his workers living outside castle walls, and so he was refused knighthood by the king, but he proved himself worthy to the other soldiers unintentionally. Seeing him fight, they sought after his assistance in battle."

Link cleared his throat, trying his best to remember everything his father had told him when he was younger, "They agreed upon compensating him for his work out of their own pockets, so long as he rode with them into each battle. He obliged, even though the pay wasn't much; he wanted to do whatever he could to help the land be as peaceful as possible. This way, the royal family would never have to know, and yet, the soldiers would still have an irreplaceable strength on their side that they so desperately needed."

"Just as I thought," Rusl said quietly under his breath, "I'd like to show you something."

Without another word, he got to his feet and left the spring. Link also stood, a look of confusion on his face, but he followed him despite his puzzlement. They came to an open clearing with nothing but a worn down tree house.

"You remember this clearing?" Rusl inquired.

Link furrowed his brow, "Of course I do, I pass by it every day."

"Ah, yes… but do you remember that this is where you stumbled into our village?"

The young teen looked around; he had never really put the two together. It was true, he _did_ pass through this part of the forest every day as it was necessary to get to and from the spring and the forest, but he never remembered where exactly it was that he fell off Epona and was brought into the town those short years ago.

Rusl noticed him thinking on it and spoke up again, "Although, that is not what I wanted to show you, and that is not the only importance in this passage."

"Then… what is?" Link looked to his mentor, piquing his interest.

Rusl motioned for him to head up the rickety ladder, and he did so eagerly with Rusl following slowly behind. Despite his last three years in the town, he had never been into this tree house. In fact, it had always been off limits to all of the residents of the village, so he had no idea what to expect at the top of the ladder.

He and the other children often gossiped about it, and there were some rumors, but nothing was certain. He recalled hearing from Fado that the tree house was haunted, and Ilia had told him that a family of monkeys lived in the treetop dwelling. Link believed them when he was younger, but at his current age he simply found them laughable, and now he was about to finally discover the truth.

The two males reached the top rung of the ladder and stood on the front porch of the small abode for a moment just before Rusl turned the handle and motioned for Link to cross the threshold.

They stepped into the dusty quarters and looked around. Rusl kept his gaze fixed upon Link's face subtly; he wanted to see his expression and whether or not he could figure this out on his own. There wasn't much to the place, a few rugs were strewn across the floor, and there appeared to be a makeshift bed on the floor against the wall. There was a small fireplace with a large iron pot for preparing meals, and there were a few knick knacks scattered haphazardly about the room.

At first glance it would appear that no one had ever lived here, and if they did, it wasn't for extended periods of time. However, there was one thing that caught his eye. On a small table beside the bed there was a picture frame carved from wood, and inside of it was a photograph of a very young Link with his mother.

Rusl decided it was time to speak up, "Link, I've wanted to show you this for quite some time, but I wanted to wait until you had some time to heal."

Link grasped the portrait and stared at it intently, practically in shock. He never thought he would get to look upon the face of his mother again.

"Your father often stayed here, in this very tree house, during his travels. The story was just as you said, as I recall. He was unable to station with the other soldiers for fear of royalty discovering him, so one night he passed through here completely unaware, much like you did the first night you arrived, looking for somewhere to stay."

The young boy set down the picture, but kept his back to Rusl, still listening as attentively as could be.

Rusl continued, "The first time he stayed here, he simply set up tent in this clearing, as there was naught but grass and this giant tree here at that point. Every time he was off on business after that, he stayed here. He stayed in Ordon countless times, sometimes for days on end. During the day, if he wasn't required to go to battle, he would come into the village and entertain the children with stories, and he would tell us all about a brave, young son he had waiting for him back home."

He paused a moment, organizing the memories before he continued, "He was always such a kind, generous man; everyone in the town just adored him. He always had nothing but that measly tent, and not once was he bitter about it. So, one day, we all pitched in and decided that he was deserving of a home away from home, a place he could go for shelter when he couldn't be with you and your mother. So… we built this tree house for him."

Link turned to face his mentor, water building up beneath his eyelids, but he hid it well.

"When you first came to us, I had no idea you were his son; I hadn't put the two together. Over the years, I began to contemplate the thought, but I still had my uncertainties. That is why I asked you about your parents this morning, to find out if my assumptions were correct and if he was your father. Turns out, he was," Rusl went on, the last part a bit of a mumble to himself.

He sighed and rubbed his temples; he seemed a bit shocked himself. At first, the villagers were wrought with worry over their guest not returning; they thought maybe they had offended him on some occasion by mistake. But now, it was certain, their visitor was not going to return.

Link had yet to say a word, his eyes fixed on the dusty wooden floor beneath his feet.

Rusl noticed the young boy's sadness and spoke up, "He was a good man, Link."

"Do you know how he died?" Link said suddenly with all the seriousness in the world.

Rusl was a bit taken back, "What?"

"They were murdered. I saw his corpse," the distraught youth looked up and met Rusl's gaze with tears in his eyes, "Every waking moment I wonder what my life would be like if they never died. It makes me so… _angry_… I miss them so much," he sobbed quietly.

The older man was not sure what to say. His heart ached for the young boy he considered to be like a son to him, and he wished more than anything that he could take away his suffering.

He walked over to the teen and placed a hand on his shoulder as he tried to gain his eye contact, "We cannot dwell on the 'what if' situations in life, Link. I'm deeply sorry for your loss, but it is in the past. Your parents would not want you to waste away your life grieving and mourning for them, they would want you to live happily, without sorrow and misery."

Link looked up with a sniffle to see Rusl's warm smile. He just had so much pent up anger in his young body – anger at the situation, anger at their death, anger at that grotesque creature that took it upon himself to end innocent lives, and anger at the fact that he could never see either of his parents again. However, he was also a very level-headed youth. It took a moment or two, but he tried his best to calm himself.

"Thank you… I'll try my best to move on…" he stated, trying to sound optimistic.

Rusl nodded sternly as the two straightened up.

"Well, I suppose some of the villagers could help you tidy this place up a bit," he said as he glanced around the room, avoiding Link's stare teasingly.

Link looked up at the scruffy, older man, his mouth slightly agape, "You mean…"

"Well you didn't expect all of us to stay crammed in that tiny place of mine now did you?"

Link remained stationary, still not firmly believing what he was hearing.

Rusl chuckled whole-heartedly, "This tree house is yours, my boy. That is, if you want it."

"Of course I do!"

"Well," Rusl began, "there is one condition."

"Anything."

"The world is full of many dangers, and I believe your father would have wanted this for you just as much as I do. I want you to learn the ways of the sword. I'd like to be your instructor, if you'll have me," Rusl explained as he looked to the adolescent for his response.

Link's eyes lit up, "I would love to learn how to fight!"

Rusl couldn't help but smile, "Well then, get yourself ready. We start today!"

* * *

_**To discover the truth.**_


	4. Destined

**A/N: I want to get this out now as it applies to the rest of the story, so keep it in mind please:  
**I play the Wii version of Twilight Princess, in which (as I'm sure you all know) everything is flipped horizontally from the GameCube version. So, when I'm writing about areas to the right or left, east or west, if it sounds off to you, then it's because of the mirrored gameplay. However, also in the Wii version, Link is right-handed and everyone else then becomes left-handed since Link has always been meant to be a lefty. THAT is the only thing that I change about the mirror effect.  
In short, all locations and directions and everything of that nature are based on the Wii version, but the people are kept true to what they were originally intended, so Link is still left-handed and everyone else is still right-handed.

_This chapter was revised as of 12/31/12 – Polished, added narrative._

_This chapter was revised as of 5/10/13 – Minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 4: Destined

**.:.**

"Link? Can I talk to you?" his closest and dearest friend called out to him as he passed by her house on the way to the ranch.

He turned around quickly at the sound of her voice and gave her a perplexed nod. It was unlike her to request his company; she was the type to simply take it when she desired it, which was a majority of the time.

She gave him a serious expression, as if she was trying very hard to say something that had been plaguing her for quite some time. They had grown even closer over the last few years, if getting any closer than they already were was even possible. They spent almost all their free time together. The two often found enjoyment in merely sitting alongside one another in front of the spirit's spring or beside the creek that ran peacefully through Ordon Village.

They spoke of important things and unimportant things. They would sometimes discuss their futures, like what they wanted to do when they got older. Ilia always said that she wanted to build a stable in Ordon just for horses where she could care for them and ride them all day long.

Link, however, never had any idea what he would want to do with his adult life. On one hand, he enjoyed village life and found joy in the simple ins and outs of herding the goats and tending to the ranch. But on the other hand, he sometimes found himself feeling as if there was so much more for him to discover in the world that he was completely blind to at his young age.

When they spoke of trivial things, they would often speak of something that happened to them in a particular day, or Link would tell her about something interesting Rusl had taught him in sword training, and Ilia would reply by telling him that he needed to pay more attention to Epona.

Other times, however, they didn't even need to talk – they would simply relax in each other's soothing presence. There was something calming, Link had found, about being around this girl. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he would always get the feeling of the stresses of any given day washing away when he was around her.

Something had been on her mind for quite a while now, that same something that she had tried saying to him four years ago in front of Ordon Spring but at that time she didn't have the nerve to say it. Not only that, but she was very young at that point, and she had been unsure of what her feelings even meant.

Ilia looked up into his deep, azure eyes with a smile, "I just wanted to let you know, you're the best friend I've ever had… I don't know how I ever lived my life before I met you."

Link couldn't help but grin and he opened his mouth to say something, but she continued before he could get a word out.

"I get mad at you sometimes, you know, when you do stupid things like getting yourself hurt while herding, or not treating Epona right… but you're still one of the most important people to me, you know that, right?"

He simply nodded.

"Good," she beamed, "I'll never forget you, for the rest of my life! No matter what happens, you got that?"

He smiled, "I could never forget you either, Ilia."

She giggled, "I should hope so, because… well, because, I _love_ you!" her face instantly flushed the deepest shade of red Link had ever seen before she quickly took her leave, "There, I said it! Now, go! Go to work!"

With that, Ilia turned and ran back into her house, leaving a shocked Link behind; he practically had to pick his jaw up off the floor. He could feel the heat in his cheeks as he smiled sheepishly to himself.

"Hey! Link! Ya gonna come help me herd the goats 'er what?" the voice of Fado could be heard yelling at him from behind, snapping him from his stupor. He turned around and sprinted up the hill toward the ranch where Fado and Epona had been waiting for him.

He worked a bit slower than usual today, having a lot on his mind from the conversation with Ilia.

She loved him? He had never contemplated that possibility. He had always thought of her as his best friend, nothing more. In fact, the idea of her being attracted to him had honestly never even entered his mind. Was he truly that blind, or had she hidden it well? Despite that, he wasn't sure if his feelings reciprocated her's.

Sure, he loved her as his best and closest friend, but he couldn't say for sure if he loved her any more than that. He worried that things could possibly be awkward now, and that she would be expecting a response the next time they met.

He was just thinking on it too much.

Soon enough, midday had come and gone, and he was done working with the goats. A couple of hours before sundown was always the time of day reserved for practicing the art of the sword with Rusl. Link always enjoyed that time of the day – getting to learn how to better protect himself and those important to him made him feel better and put his heart at ease know that should something ever happen to the village, he would be able to defend it.

"Hi, Link!" he heard a small voice call from a house to his right as he passed by it on his mare. He looked down and saw the beaming face of Colin, the boy who had always been like a little brother to him.

Colin, like many of the younger villagers, had become so utterly important to Link over the years. He basically got to watch him grow up, even though he had been in the process of doing so himself. Colin had been so young when Link entered his life that he couldn't even recall what it was like to be without a big brother – he had always been there in his mind.

It didn't take much time at all for them to begin considering one another as brothers. They fought like brothers, they played like brothers, and Link watched over him and protected him just like a big brother should. He knew he could never live with himself should something happen to this little boy, and he vowed to keep him safe.

"Are you going to see my dad?" Colin asked.

"Yes, I am. Would you like to join me?"

"Oh… no… I don't like all that sword stuff," he responded as he hung his head.

Link smiled crookedly, "That's alright, don't worry about it. But…" he began with a furrowed brow, wondering why the boy was standing at the bank of the river by himself, "What are you doing?"

"Just looking for tadpoles in this little pond right here," he said pointing to the small body of water at his feet, "Lots of frogs live here, so I figured, maybe I could catch some tadpoles!"

Link chuckled as he said, "Alright, well, have fun," just before spurring Epona in the direction of his home.

As he entered the clearing, Rusl was leaned against the trunk of the giant tree that held Link's house; he didn't look pleased.

"You're late," the older man stated plainly.

Link looked to him confusedly as he dismounted his steed and settled her down in her usual dwelling to the side of his tree house.

"Sorry, I got a bit caught up with Col-," he was cut off as his mentor lunged in for an attack. He quickly ducked and dodged all of the swings as he was unable to fight back because Rusl kept Link's wooden sword with him at all times.

"What gives?" Link asked in sheer perplexity after he finally let up a little.

Rusl chuckled, "Sorry, my boy," he began as he tossed Link his sword, "That was a lesson. First of all, it is important to be prepared in case you are ever assailed while you are unarmed. Secondly, never let your guard down. Enemies are always on the lookout for someone with their guard down; it's an easy kill."

Link sighed in relief, for a moment he thought his one and only role model had turned on him. He had to laugh inwardly at the thought.

"These woods have become more and more hostile as of late, it is vital that you are prepared for anything," Rusl began as he gazed around the trees that surrounded them with a look of sorrow on his older features. He then turned his attention back to his pupil, "Now, attack!"

The session had turned out not to be much different from the last, other than his unusual greeting, of course. Rusl taught him the various slices and ways to maneuver around your opponent as well as ways to defend yourself.

The last few years had turned Link into a rather skilled swordsman. Rusl had been a very good instructor, and he taught him everything one could hope to learn. The most effective way to grasp the hilt, the best ways to swing the blade, how to anticipate your enemy's next move, and how to properly step and use your feet in the midst of battle.

Before either of them knew it, the sun was just beginning to set over the horizon and the day was almost done, but not quite.

Usually at this time of day, they would discuss how the training went and Rusl would give him a few pointers to work on. He would then retire into his home, leaving Link to himself for the evening. But this time, Rusl asked him if he would help him gather some lumber from Faron Woods before sundown. Link, despite being confused as they usually did not venture into the wood this late, agreed and followed him into the forest with Epona.

The wooded area around them did not seem too off from the norm, at least, not yet. Everything seemed pretty typical for the woods around this time of day. Maybe Rusl was just paranoid, Link thought to himself; the forest seemed fine to him. The animals were all out and about, getting ready to settle in for the night just as the nocturnal animals were getting their day started. Everything seemed ordinary.

They didn't spend much time chopping wood as it was already almost sundown. Once they were done, they strapped the provisions to the chestnut mare's saddle, and they both mutually decided to relax for a moment in front of Faron Spring.

"So, how does it feel to be seventeen now?"

Link thought for a moment, "Honestly, not much different."

Had it really been that long? He came to Ordon when he was ten, started working the ranch soon after that, began sword training with Rusl when he was thirteen, and now, here he was, seventeen years old and he could hardly tell the difference.

He always thought getting older would be exciting; after all, don't most kids get excited when they turn seventeen? Link didn't get excited at all, in fact, he almost forgot about his birthday altogether.

Ilia had come up to his front door first thing that morning with a cake she had baked from scratch, and she had Colin run into the house and get him out of bed. He remembered thinking the worst when he was dragged from his cot hurriedly, only to find out that his loved ones had planned something genuinely kind for him.

Over the years, needing to be reminded of his birthday became more and more necessary. The years just seemed to mesh together in his mind. He remembered the day he taught himself to perform a back flip – now _that_ had truly impressed the village children.

He also remembered the day he discovered certain types of grass that could be whistled into to create beautiful melodies. After that, he spent a great majority of his spare time simply relaxing in various spots around the village playing different tunes into the mysterious grass. Thus, the discovery of the song Epona adored and the song in which summoned a hawk.

Coping with the passing of his mother and father had gradually become easier. It was something that still found its way into his mind every single day and he still had nightmares about it every single night, but it had at least lessened – even if only by a hair. After all, they say time heals all wounds.

But had it truly been seven years since he came to the village? It almost seemed impossible.

"Seventeen is a great age. It is the time when you start becoming a man," Rusl pointed out.

Link turned to him attentively, an eyebrow raised in disbelief.

"It's true," the older man responded, "Do you not feel old enough to be considered as such?"

The young man turned his gaze to that of the waterfalls before him, "No, I guess I don't. I'm not sure how I feel."

Rusl furrowed his brow, "What do you mean?"

"I guess I just feel, I don't know, out of place," Link sighed.

The older man looked taken aback, "Oh, how so?"

Link glanced at his mentor and then back at the spring, "I feel as if I'm not doing all that I am meant to. I feel like I'm destined for something more…" he scoffed, "I know I must sound ridiculous."

As if the Goddesses themselves had willed it, an involuntary flashback entered Rusl's mind; something he had long forgotten. It suddenly appeared in the forefront of his brain – a young boy who stumbled into his midst with the mark of the Triforce on his left hand. He had shrugged off what he thought he saw that night as the months - and eventually years - following that day all but erased the mark from the boy entirely.

Maybe he had chosen to forget it altogether of his own accord. He put it into his mind that he had simply imagined the symbol and that it wasn't truly there at all. He didn't want to believe that this innocent lad would be the next chosen one to have to deal with some unknown horror that would someday plague their world. He also didn't want to think of said unknown horror; the entire country of Hyrule had come to know a time of peace, and he wasn't ready to give that up.

He simply could not accept the idea of the boy he considered to be his son being a Goddess chosen hero. However, at the current moment, as his gaze fell to that of the young man's hand who sat beside him, there it was. Glowing ever so faintly, the Triforce, the mark of the very Goddesses themselves, was plastered on Link's left hand clear as day – it was undeniable.

Rusl gaped in utter shock and disbelief for a moment, but he tried his best to hide it. Could it really be true?

Link noticed his sudden change of mood, "What is it?"

He sighed and shook his head, "Nothing, my boy," he tried his best to change the subject, "I wanted to speak to you about something."

Link smiled, "Anything."

Rusl wrapped his mind around what he just realized one last time before changing the topic of conversation, "Tell me… Do you ever feel a strange sadness as dusk falls?"

* * *

_**Feeling as if there is more to live for.**_


	5. Promises

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 1/14/13 – Polished, added narrative._

_This chapter was revised as of 5/10/13 – Minor errors and typos fixed._

_This chapter was revised as of 12/15/13 – Polished, enhanced by readers' criticisms._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 5: Promises

**.:.**

"Hey! Link! You there?" a loud voice called from outside Link's house, disrupting him from his work.

He had been busy sketching various things that came to mind as he was seated comfortably on the highest level of his treetop dwelling. He was busy thinking of the task that Rusl had appointed to him the night prior. His father figure had asked him if he would go to Hyrule and deliver the gifts to the royal family that Ordon had prepared in his stead. He wasn't sure if it was because the older man wasn't up to it, or if he simply wanted Link to venture beyond the borders of Faron Province, but his reason mattered not – he had accepted and was actually rather excited to get to behold Hyrule Castle with his own eyes.

He had been quite peaceful sitting there, to say the least, until he heard none other than his friend Fado shouting for him. Link stuck his head out the window to see what it was that the young man had needed.

"Hey, you mind helpin' me herd the goats? They ain't listenin' to me lately!"

Link nodded to the long-faced young man and proceeded to climb down the ladders in his home. He glanced over at what he had been doodling - a picture of his beloved mare before descending the rungs and happily going outside to help his partner. Most people would be frustrated with the constant disturbances, as they always came at times when he was settled down and at ease, but Link didn't mind. He was simply grateful that he had loved ones in his life to _give_ him said disturbances.

"Hey, where's Epona?" Link could hear Fado ask as he opened his front door and stepped outside. Link looked around and found his question to be a valid one; Epona was nowhere to be seen.

It didn't startle him or send him into panic like one might think, though; it had actually become quite routine for Epona to go missing. It wasn't for the same reason that other horses might get lost by simply wandering off, but instead it was because a certain young villager often kidnapped the lovely horse for her own enjoyment.

Ilia had taken a liking to taking Epona off to the spring to give her a bath, brush her mane, and just simply pamper her in a way that Link could not. Epona and her true master had a bond that Ilia certainly could not compete with, but she just adored the horse's company and loved spending quality time with her favorite mare. Ilia had always had a remarkable love for horses of all kinds. It was most likely from her mother - Bo had told Link once several years ago - because he could see in her eyes the same fondness for equines that his wife once had.

This time was no different. Link found the two girls wading in the shallow waters of the soothing spring after telling his brown-haired friend that he would be right back as soon as he approached them. However, something else was on his mind that held him back. He hadn't forgotten what she told him last time they spoke, and he worried that she might bring it up again and question him about it. He had no idea what he would say if she _did _decide to pry for an answer.

Upon his arrival, Ilia turned to him with a bright, white grin. Her short, blonde hair was radiant in the sunlight and her green eyes sparkled with joy.

"Oh, hi, Link. I washed Epona for you!"

Link smiled and said, "Thank you," as he stepped closer to the two in the crystal clear pool, getting his feet wet. He went up to his steed and rubbed her neck lovingly in greeting.

"Epona is a girl too, so you have to treat her nice like one!"

Link simply smiled and nodded, continuing to pet Epona.

It was hard to express in words just how important this horse was to him. She was the only thing left of his parents; the only reminder of the fact that he once had a true, blood family. He missed them terribly, but as the years passed, it got easier to go on without them. After all, he had the compassionate and generous people of Ordon to call his family now, and for that he was extremely grateful.

He had become lost in his own thoughts for a moment; he hardly heard Ilia's soft voice when she spoke.

"Link… could you do something for me?"

He began to worry. Was she about to bring up the topic he had been hoping she forgot about?

He turned to her with a furrowed brow as he stuttered nervously, "Um, yeah. What is it?"

"Can you use a piece of grass to play that song for me? You know, the one that Epona likes?"

Link chuckled and silently sighed in relief before nodding and plucking a horse-shoe shaped reed from the ground. He sat down and patted the dirt next to him, motioning for Ilia to sit beside him. She did so with a beaming smile as she intently watched the young man play the beautiful tune.

He closed his eyes and began blowing into the grass, a musical whistle emanating from it in a melodious cadence. Ilia gazed upon him in awe as he played the song effortlessly. She looked at his handsome face, a look of pure serenity plastered onto his tanned features. She then looked down to his left arm as it held the stalk to his mouth as he played. His arms were toned and muscular from years of hard work.

But wait… what was that? She noticed something peculiar on his left hand. Where had she seen that symbol before?

Snapping her from her thoughts, Link finished the melody and Epona galloped up to them excitedly. She whinnied and brought her large snout down to Link's chest, nuzzling him and practically knocking him over.

Link laughed so hard his _sides_ hurt, and grinned so wide his _cheeks_ hurt, "Alright, girl, alright!"

Ilia let out a joyful giggle herself; the display was adorable, and she couldn't help but love seeing her best friend so cheerful – the display all but erased the momentary notice of the marking on the back of Link's hand from her mind.

Once Epona calmed down, Ilia spoke up, "I tried to play it for Epona, but I just can't seem to play it the way you can, Link."

"Nah, I bet you can. It just takes practice," he responded, "Would you like me to show you?"

Ilia's face lit up, "I would love that!"

Link smiled as he plucked another piece of the oddly shaped grass from the ground and handed it to her.

"Alright, first you place your fing-"

"Hey! Link! You out here?" the distinctive southern drawl of Fado could suddenly be heard in the distance.

"Oh, that's right," Link murmured as he got to his feet, "Fado needs me at the ranch."

Ilia looked disappointed as she, too, stood up, "Oh, you have to go?"

Link mounted Epona as he replied, "I'm sorry, I need to help out with the goats. How about I teach you the song tomorrow?" he compromised.

She grinned from ear to ear, "Alright then, go get to work! But don't make Epona do too much, okay?"

He nodded and without another word he was off in the direction of the village.

As Epona cantered through the small town, Link couldn't help but overhear the villagers speaking of mischievous monkeys causing chaos in the little community. Some of them went out of their way to tell him about the troublemakers as well. Colin also came up to him to tell him about a fishing rod that he had been working on for him, and let him know that it would be ready tomorrow. He did his best to listen, but he had to hurry to the ranch before Fado let any more goats get loose.

He got there just before sundown and finished herding the goats into the barn in practically no time at all. He had become pretty good at it over the years, and he quite enjoyed doing it as well. He often competed against himself, seeing if he could herd the goats quicker than his previous time. He found it challenging, and for whatever reason, he particularly thrived off of being challenged.

There was just something about riding Epona with the wind billowing through his sandy-blond hair as he guided the farm animals back into the barn that he adored.

That night, Link had some difficulty sleeping. With any other person, the trouble sleeping could be pinned on the lack of a true bed, but this didn't bother him like it would others; he could sleep almost anywhere. This time, he was constantly being woken up by disturbing dreams about beasts of evil, but he couldn't remember much more than that.

He had been continuously having strange dreams lately, but they were nothing more than just that, and so he thought nothing of them. Next thing he knew, he was being awakened by the loud voice of a child outside his house.

"Hey, wake up, Link! It's morning already!"

Ah, it was finally morning. The night seemed to drag on and on; he was glad the sun was up and it was a new day. He gazed out of his window to find Malo, Talo, and Beth waiting for him beneath the trees. He smiled to himself as he descended the ladders in his home, followed by the one outside that led him to the grass below.

He instantly could hear the children bickering over a slingshot, and it wasn't long before they convinced him to get it for them. He also saw Colin beside his home visiting with Epona who told him that his mother had the fishing rod that he had made for him.

Link always seemed to be the one entertaining the village children on his days off, never _truly_ giving him a day completely to himself. But truthfully, he didn't mind; he enjoyed the company of the little ones. He knew that they looked up to him, and he took it upon himself to look out for them.

What he ended up going through to get the slingshot was an adventure and a half. You would think all he would need to do was buy it from the shop, but Link always took other people's needs into his own hands without question, causing a bit of a delay. Whenever someone was in need of something, he didn't even think twice, he simply did whatever they asked. He loved making people happy, and he always did his best to make sure that all the villager's needs were met.

When he tried to buy the slingshot, Sera had told him that she was too upset to deal with customers due to the loss of her darling feline. He spotted the critter at the bank of the creek, desperately wanting a fish of his own.

Link thought he could maybe catch a fish and give it to the cat, so he went to speak with Uli who was supposedly holding the fishing rod that Colin had prepared for him. When he spoke with his mother figure, she told him she had lost a cradle and was frantically searching for it as it was very dear to her – not only had it been used with her first child, but it would also be a place of comfort for the child she was expecting.

Link remembered the day he was told that Rusl and Uli were having a second child; he was almost as excited as Colin was. That had been three months ago now, and the anticipation in the whole of Ordon grew each day.

Link searched every inch of the village for his mother's lost belonging until finally he spotted a monkey on the far end of the lake, seemingly taunting him with the cradle held high above its head. He knew what to do, though; he plucked a piece of bird-shaped grass and blew into it.

A beautiful tune chimed through the air, summoning a hawk that he used to snatch the cradle back from the pesky thief. He, then, took the precious item back to Uli who gave him the fishing rod which he used to catch a fish. Sera's cat took the food and ran back into its home. Then, finally, he was able to buy the slingshot.

Wasn't this supposed to be his day off? He inwardly chuckled to himself. It made him genuinely overjoyed to make others happy; what most others would find bothersome he found enjoyment in, and he loved that the most tedious work in a day was playing with children – it almost seemed too easy. He adored his life in the village and wouldn't trade it for anything.

When he first came here, after the loss of his parents, he spent his days wondering what his life would be like if they hadn't left him, and he spent his waking moments wishing he could be back with them in their little home. Now, however, he wondered what his life would be like if he never had come to this village.

What if he had never found this wonderful place he currently called home, and, in turn, never found the people he cherished and adored? He didn't want to think about it. He treasured his peaceful life in the quiet village, and he hoped it would always remain that way.

After obtaining the childish weapon, he wanted to take some time to visit Ilia. As he approached her house, the mayor began speaking to him.

"Mornin', Link. Sounds like Fado's handlin' things at the ranch on his own today. When he's up there alone, I always figure some calamity or other's gonna happen…"

As if that was his cue, the distressed call of Fado could be heard from atop the hill.

"Woah! A goat got loose! It's headin' for town! Somebody stop it!"

Link didn't hesitate. He saw the goat stampeding down the hill and he planted his feet firmly into the dirt below him, preparing himself. As the raging animal came close enough, he grabbed it by the horns and thrust it to the ground, subduing it and calming it down.

"Aw… Fado did it again… These goats have been awful skittish lately… You always gotta be on your toes! Sorry 'bout that, Link. But thanks to you, that goat didn't get away!" Bo stated, expressing his gratitude.

Link shrugged off his thanks, "Not a problem at all. I was wondering though, could I see Ilia?"

Bo frowned, "Sorry, sonny, but I was told that if you came by today, I wasn't to let you inside. She's locked herself in her room, workin' like crazy on somethin' or other…"

The young man looked perplexed, but he dropped it anyway, "Oh, alright, thanks anyway mayor."

What could she possibly be working on? He had no idea. Despite that, he decided to head back to his clearing to show the kids the slingshot. However, Rusl stopped him in his tracks telling him that he delivered something to his room. Curiosity instantly plagued Link to the brim and he immediately headed for the ladder of his home, bypassing the children.

What he saw on one of the rungs took him by surprise. It was a large, dangerous spider. Never had he seen something like this around the village before. Of course there were small, harmless spiders that made the little ones screech in terror, but never a spider this large that could truthfully hurt - or even _kill -_ someone. Link quickly dispatched of it with the slingshot.

Perhaps Rusl was right; maybe these woods were changing for the worse due to some unknown horror.

What he found in the chest inside his room shocked him. It was the wooden sword he had been practicing swordplay with for the last four years. Rusl never let Link keep it in his possession before, for fear he might misuse it or do something careless with it or something of that nature. Maybe he finally considered him old enough to be responsible with it. That thought made Link's heart swell with pride and accomplishment.

As soon as he stepped back outside, the children were on him like moths to a flame. Link smiled as he pulled the projectile weapon from his pocket and watched excitement light up their features like a lightning strike brightens up the sky.

"Link has a slingshot! Woah!" Talo yelled enthusiastically.

Beth squealed, "Wow! You had enough money to buy it, Link?"

Link chuckled and nodded.

"You have to show us what it can do!" Talo pleaded.

"Yes, you must…" Malo mumbled.

"Oh, these two will never let it go. Just show them, Link," Beth chimed in.

Link couldn't help but keep grinning, "Alright, alright."

The children set up various targets amongst the branches of the trees along with two scarecrows for Link to hit. Link pulled back the string on the slingshot and let loose seven quick pellets, instantly destroying the five targets, followed by the two dummies.

The slingshot had been something he had played with ever since he first arrived in Ordon Village. Not as a weapon, of course, but as a simple toy. He had used it to quell his boredom from time to time while he was growing up, giving him great practice in perfecting his aim and technique.

The kids gaped in awe.

"Woah! Amazing, Link!"

"Gee, you really are amazing, Link!"

"Yeah, you are! You can use swords and slingshots and everything!"

"Hey, yeah, that reminds me, you've gotta teach us how to use a sword too!"

It was one thing after another; Link could hardly get a word in. He had to laugh at their enthusiasm, "One at a time," he chuckled as he ruffled Talo's hair.

"Teach us how to use a sword!" Talo barked again.

"Guys, swords are not things to be taken lightly," Link forewarned.

"Yeah, yeah…" Malo murmured under his breath in his usual manner.

"C'mon! Lately these monkeys have been coming out of the woods and playing tricks on us! We want to get them good!" Talo debated.

Link sighed with a crooked smile, "Oh, alright."

"YES!"

They demanded that Link show them all the moves he knew, but he just showed them a select few that Rusl had shown him, each move getting a more and more amazed response from the children every time he performed it. Once the kids were satisfied for the time being, they let Link stop for a moment and they simply chatted. That was, until they spotted the monkey that had been causing havoc at the entrance to the village.

The three little ones instantly darted after the mischievous creature, following it into the woods. Link called their names and yelled at them to come back, but they paid him no mind. He sighed at their behavior and mounted Epona as hastily as he could and headed for the forest. It amazed him how quickly they had gotten so far ahead of him, the only one he could spot was Beth and as he passed her she said, "Talo and Malo went chasing like crazy people after that monkey."

"You stay here," Link ordered as he continued on.

A little farther up the trail he found Malo who mumbled, "They went that way. The rest is up to you, Link…" and he then gave him the same demand he had given Beth.

When he came to a fork in the road, he saw a man to his left and decided to see if he had seen Talo go by, as the alternative option seemed far too dark to travel.

"Excuse me, did you see a little boy go past here?" Link asked from atop Epona.

"Woah! An Ordonian! Hey, guy! Um, a little boy? I don't think so. Then again, I haven't been paying too much attention. Sorry, guy."

Link sighed and wiped his hands down his face.

"But listen, I'm not sure you should be wandering around the woods without a lantern. Just because its daylight doesn't mean it's safe. There are a ton of caves and dank spots around here that get pretty dark even in the middle of the day. Here! Go on, guy. Take this!" the strange man explained as he handed him a lantern.

Link smiled, sincerely appreciative of the gesture, "Thank you," and he instantly knew what to do from there.

He turned his mare around and proceeded to head towards the route he faced before that had appeared to be too dark to pass through. Now that he had this lantern it shouldn't be a problem.

However, as he approached the opening to the cavern, a plant-like beast with a wide maw filled to the brim with razor-sharp teeth known as a Deku Baba sprung from the dirt and lunged at Epona's front leg. She reared up and whinnied, causing Link to hold onto the reigns with all his might. He back flipped off the distressed steed and advanced on the savage plant, killing it swiftly with a few strikes of his wooden sword. Upon its defeat, he turned to Epona.

"Sorry about that, girl. You okay?" he whispered as he stroked her snout comfortingly, "I'll be back soon."

As he went to enter the dark area, he noticed Talo's toy sword on the ground, lighting a fire in him that made him only go faster than he already had. The children of the village were exceptionally important to him, and whenever their well-being was threatened, Link was there to bring an end to whatever it was that posed said threat.

He ran through the cave at full-speed, reaching daylight again in no time. He saw a gate to the right, but found it to be locked. He searched up and down the strange wilderness, finally coming across a small key in a hidden chest in a dark, secret cave. The forest was oddly infested with monsters, he noticed; these foul beasts had never been here before. Link began to realize more and more that Rusl had been right about something being wrong with the woods.

He killed all the peculiar creatures without difficulty and opened the previously locked gate only to find more of these evil beings. What were they? They were so strange looking. No matter what they were, he only had finding Talo on his mind, and he would make sure to get him safe no matter what he had to come across to do so.

As he continued through the woodland area, he spotted Talo and the monkey in a cage high atop some massive tree branch being guarded by two more of those bizarre creatures. He sprinted up the path and dispatched of the purple-skinned monsters with ease before hacking away at the shoddy cage that imprisoned his young friend. As soon as they were free, the monkey hopped off to someplace unknown.

Link looked down at Talo, "What were you thinking, chasing after that monkey like that?" he asked in a surprisingly calm voice.

Talo looked ashamed, "I don't know…"

Link sighed, "Alright, let's head back."

They did just that rather quickly for fear of the sun going down on them and all manner of whatever other creatures lurked amongst the trees coming out. Luckily, they didn't run into any more monsters on their trek back due to the fact that Link had exterminated them all on his first time through. Once they were out of the cave, Talo explained that the monkey had actually been very kind, and he pleaded for Link not to tell his father just before rushing back home.

"Link!" he heard a voice to his right. It was Rusl.

"My son told me Talo disappeared into the woods and had not returned. I came as soon as I heard… But it looks like you have brought him home already… I apologize. Such a task should not fall to you."

Link shrugged off his apology, "Maybe not, but I take it upon myself to keep the kids safe. When they are in harm's way… I blame myself. So, no need to apologize. I'll keep protecting them as long as I live."

Rusl smiled, "You are an amazing young man, Link."

Link beamed and nodded his head in appreciation, "Thank you. That really means a lot coming from you."

The older man couldn't help but grin, but he decided to change the subject, "Tell me, have you noticed how strange this wood seems lately?"

"I have," Link responded as he looked around, "There have been all manner of evil creatures roaming about."

Rusl stroked his chin, "Yes… I feel… uneasy about what may lie in wait…" he trailed off.

Link furrowed his brow, "What do you mean?"

The scruffy man snapped himself from his dark thoughts, "Oh, nothing, my boy. Anyway, Link, tomorrow is finally the day. You will be departing for Hyrule. I think it is a good thing I have given this task to you…"

Link smiled. He wasn't sure if he should be excited or nervous.

"Good luck! And return safely!" Rusl said as he turned to leave, "If you are lucky, you may even get to meet Princess Zelda!" he finished with a whole-hearted chuckle as he waved to the young man and headed toward the village.

Link stayed in the woods for another moment or two, simply taking in his surroundings and listening to the strange new sounds that the forest was emanating. All these years, he had always known the woods to be so peaceful, and yet, now monsters were wandering free amongst them.

After a few minutes, he decided to head back to make sure all the children had made it home safe and sound. By the time he was back in the village, the sun had set and it was now almost completely dark. Thankfully, he noticed that all the youngsters were already back in their homes and out of harm's way.

By this time, Link was exhausted. As he turned to exit the main square of the village and head back to his own home, he felt a dainty hand grasp his arm.

He sprinted around to find Ilia's slightly frustrated expression before him.

"What happened to teaching me how to play on the whistle grass today? Hm?" she asked inquisitively, her hands placed on her hips accusingly.

"I'm sorry, I was busy. Besides, I tried to visit you this morning but your father said I wasn't allowed to see you," he responded in defense of himself.

Ilia seemed slightly shocked that he had stopped by her home, "Oh, that… well, yes, I was doing something important that you can't know about yet!"

Link chuckled quietly, "Then you can't be mad at me, it wasn't entirely my fault."

The young blonde sighed and let her hands fall from her small hips, "I guess you're right. But, then, when can you teach me?"

Link brought a hand up to his face as he yawned, "Tomorrow?"

"You're leaving for Hyrule tomorrow, Link. Have you forgotten?"

He hadn't forgotten, the days just slipped away from him so quickly. He thought for a moment, "As soon as I return from my trip then."

Ilia looked up to meet his gaze, "You promise?"

"I promise."

She clasped her hands together happily just before returning to an accusing tone and pointing her finger at him, "You better not forget!"

He smiled, "I won't. Now, can I go to sleep?"

Ilia giggled, "Oh, go ahead. Good night and sweet dreams!"

* * *

_**Promises kept or promises broken?**_

* * *

**A/N: **I received a review on this chapter mentioning that a few things that transpired were not accurate with what happens in the game. It is one of the few reviews I've gotten like this, but I'll say this here so everyone understands: Yes, this is a novelization, but it is also a _fanfiction_. You will notice later on that quite a many things deviate from what happens in the game, which is the whole point of writing this. It is supposed to expand upon what Nintendo has set up and make it more realistic. It is supposed to flesh out the world and characters of Twilight Princess and make it feel real. If you want to read a walkthrough, I'll let you know now that you are not in the right place. If you want to read a novelization that makes the setting and characters come to life, please continue.


	6. Awakening of the Sacred Beast

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 1/14/13 – Polished, added narrative._

_This chapter was revised as of 5/10/13 – Minor errors and typos fixed._

_This chapter was revised as of 12/15/13 – Polished, enhanced by readers' criticisms._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 6: Awakening of the Sacred Beast

**.:.**

He most certainly did _not_ have sweet dreams that night; he tossed and turned and barely got any rest whatsoever.

As soon as the sun shone through the skylight in the ceiling of Link's tree house, he decided to get up. After all, what would be the point in continuing to stay in bed when he couldn't get any sleep anyway? He sat up, stretched, and let out a long grumble.

He simply sat there for a moment, looking around at his home; it was hard to believe that his father used to stay here. The various things that had belonged to him that were strewn about when Link first walked into the small abode he had, of course, kept. One in particular being the photograph he found of him and his mother.

He had it placed on a small table beside his bed, (that was really only a blanket and a pillow, but he didn't mind) which was on the highest level of his residence. Beside the portrait was a small trinket that Link had found. He remembered seeing his father with it quite often and he knew it must have been very important to him, so he kept it close. It was a small, circular locket with an old, slightly faded picture of his mother and father on their wedding day. He remembered his father telling him that it had been a first anniversary gift that his mother had given him.

He sighed as he thought of their memories and closed his eyes for a moment, imagining that they were next to him.

He lit a fire beneath the pot in the fireplace and cooked himself a small breakfast consisting of a couple of cucco eggs just before heading down to the ranch.

The sun had just barely started to appear over the horizon and there was a slight chill to the air that only the earliest of mornings held. Link always loved this time of day; everything was so quiet and tranquil. As he looked up, not a single cloud filled the pale blue sky. The simple beauty in the nature around him still astounded him every day. It was almost uncanny hearing the village this quiet as no one had woken up just yet. The only sound that filled his ears was the dirt beneath his sandals and the quiet trickling of the stream behind him.

He made his way up the hill, unlocked the gate, and let the goats out of the barn to graze just before making himself comfortable. He seated himself toward the back of the pasture; his arms perched atop his knees as he gazed up at the sky.

A million thoughts seemed to fly through his head, Ilia being one of the first. She had told him she loved him, and yet she never demanded a response. He was certain that after her blurt of emotions that things would be awkward, but they weren't in the slightest. It was almost as if she had completely forgotten what she said entirely. He had to laugh inwardly when he thought of his silly best friend. He loved picturing her smile and the way she lit up a room. Did that mean he loved her? He hadn't a clue.

That thought aside, he had more things to think about. He was leaving for Hyrule today. Hyrule! He had never seen the popular city with his own eyes. In fact, he hardly remembered what the world looked like outside the forest. The farthest he had been since coming to Ordon was the edge of Faron Woods, and he couldn't remember anything past that.

Was Rusl teasing him when he said he might get to meet Princess Zelda? Link had always heard that she was a very beautiful, compassionate, and intelligent woman. The idea of meeting her was marvelous, but then he had to laugh at himself – he was nothing more than a goat herder, what would royalty want to meet him for? The thought was just absurd.

The last thing that had been on his mind was his strange dreams. Perhaps they had to do with the sudden change in the forest. The last couple of nights he had been having awful dreams about terrifying demons and feral beasts. He didn't know what the nightmares meant, but he didn't want to think about it too much. Dreams often meant nothing he had come to realize.

"Hey! Link!" Fado's voice snapped him from his daydreaming.

Link smiled and stood up to greet his friend.

"Hey, ya'll are up awfully early!" the taller man stated.

He sighed, "Yeah, I couldn't sleep."

Fado frowned, "Sorry to hear that, bud. Well, almost time for you to get goin', huh, Link?"

"Yeah, pretty soon."

"So how's about we finish up early today, bud?"

Link half-smiled as he reached down and plucked some horse-shoe shaped grass from the dirt. As soon as the sound of the whistle rang out, Epona could be heard galloping toward the two males in the field. Soon enough, the energetic mare was before him and he rubbed her mane in greeting. He mounted his steed and got to work.

He herded the goats as quickly as he could, whooping every so often and rounding them up in his usual fashion. Upon conclusion, Fado told him that he had beaten his previous time quite incredibly. Link smiled as he said his goodbyes to his peer and took off toward the village.

As he went down the hill from the ranch, he slowed Epona to a trot when he spotted Ilia outside her home waiting for him. She called something to her father and then came running up to Link as he entered town on his mount.

"Hi, Link! How was work today?" she asked as she got up beside Epona and walked alongside them down the rest of the path.

"It was great. I beat my last record," he responded excitedly with a grin.

Ilia giggled, "Just when I think you can't do it any quicker, you beat your record again."

"Oh, done herdin' for the day, Link?" Mayor Bo asked as he joined the conversation, "Well, nice work."

Link dismounted Epona and went over to the mayor as he replied, "Thank you, I always try my best."

Bo smiled as he put his arm over the young man's shoulders, "That you do, lad. Now, the royal gift Rusl told you about is ready, so you should get ready for your trip to Hyrule Castle."

Link nodded.

"Now, the royal family requested this gift specifically, so it's real special. It'd be… _bad_… if the representative of Ordon were to be late for such an occasion, you get me, lad?"

"I do, I'll leave right away," Link responded.

As the two men continued their conversation, Ilia could be heard behind them quietly talking to Epona. It wasn't until she screeched, "Wait… what's this?" that the two turned around to see what was the matter.

"What's happened? She's injured, isn't she?" Ilia asked in a cold, angry tone, and her expression matched it.

Link cursed himself inwardly. He had completely forgotten that Epona had gotten hurt yesterday while he was trying to rescue Talo. He felt terrible for working her as hard as he did at the ranch today with a hurt leg; it just hadn't found its way into his mind with all the other thoughts jumbling around in there at present.

The young man stepped back as the hot-tempered girl got in his face screaming, "Link! How could you! You were pushing Epona too hard again! I bet you hurt her leg jumping fences, didn't you!"

Before Link could respond, the mayor stepped in, "Now, now, Ilia. There's no need to get so hot with him…"

Those words only seemed to make her angrier as she cried, "Father! How can you be so easy on him! You're the _mayor_! You should start acting like one!"

Whenever Ilia was angry, there was simply nothing anyone could do about it. Link and Bo resorted to hanging their heads in shame and keeping silent, thinking that might be their best option. When they heard the young girl speaking of taking the injured mare to the spring, the two perked up.

"W-Wait! Ilia!" the mayor yelled after his daughter, but it was no use, "Why, without Epona… the gift won't get delivered in time!" he groaned, "Oh, this won't do…"

Link scratched the back of his neck in thought, "I'll go talk to her."

"Yes, you do that, lad," Bo sighed.

With that, he was off. He sprinted down the path of the village and into the clearing of his home. Immediately he ran into Colin who seemed disheartened.

"…Link, are you going to see Ilia?" the small boy asked.

Link nodded in affirmation.

"Maybe it's just me… but those guys don't normally let people through… Um, Link, you think… You think we can go to see Ilia together?" Colin questioned timidly.

His older brother figure smiled and ruffled his hair a bit as he said, "Of course."

Colin was right, though. As soon as the two tried to head to the woods, Malo and Talo blocked their path. They said that Colin absolutely could not pass for telling their father about the monkey ordeal the day prior, and to Link they said he could not pass until he gave up his wooden sword.

At first he tried telling them it was dangerous and they shouldn't be carrying around weapons, even if they were only made of wood, but it was no use; they didn't care and Link had to hurry and get Epona back to avoid being late in getting to Hyrule. He could have easily made it by them despite their attempts at refusing his passage, but being pressed for time, he found it quicker to simply let them have their way.

He gave up his sword and the two kids were off to play, letting them pass through to the forest.

"Link," Colin spoke up, instantly gaining the older male's attention, "Thanks… Those guys are always teasing me… What's so fun about swinging something like that around, anyway? I hate it… It's scary… But when I grow up, I'm gonna be just like you, Link!"

His mind temporarily shut down. Where had he heard those words before?

'_Father?'_

'_Yes, son?'_

'_I want to be just like you when I grow up, do you think I can?'_

'_No, son, I have a feeling you're going to be much more than that.'_

That's right… he had told his father he wanted to be just like him when he grew up. Now, here he was, having his young friend who he considered to be his younger brother tell him the same thing. He wasn't sure how he felt about it. Of course, it made him feel good that he had someone that looked up to him in the same way that he had looked up to his father. He remembered just barely what it had felt like when he said those words – what it felt like to truly want to be exactly like someone else when he grew up; the fact that Colin felt this way about him really touched his heart.

"I don't want to learn about swords or anything, but could you teach me how to ride a horse sometime?"

Link smiled and gave a quick nod.

Colin's face lit up, "Can you? You have to promise!"

"I promise. As soon as I get back from my trip to Hyrule Castle," he responded happily.

The little boy grinned from ear to ear just before running down the path to find Ilia. Link could hardly wipe the smile from his face. That was, until he remembered what it was that he was doing prior to that conversation - he had to get Epona back from Ilia.

He ran through the woods and headed to Ordon Spring only to find the gate closed and locked, but Colin had made his way inside. As soon as Ilia noticed him on the other side of the entryway, she yelled to him that he could forget about getting Epona back until he changed his attitude.

The small, blond boy reassured him that he would tell Ilia about what happened the day before with the ill-behaved monkey and Talo. He also informed him of a small tunnel he could use to enter the spring. He went around to the other side and found the burrow there with ease. He was surprised he had never seen it before; it stuck out against the rock like a sore thumb.

Link crawled through the small tunnel quickly and dusted himself off once he could stand again on the other side. He instantly heard his two friends conversing about the events of yesterday.

"I had no idea… I hadn't heard the details about Talo's capture," Ilia stated a bit shamefully.

When she noticed Link standing behind her, she attempted to grab hold of Epona, but the chestnut mare shrugged her away.

"So you still prefer your master over me, huh, Epona?" she mumbled somberly, "Don't worry about your horse, Link. Fortunately, it looks like the injury isn't too serious. You two can go on together."

He inwardly sighed in relief as there was a brief moment of silence. He had expected a full-out thrashing to be thrust upon him by the wrath of Ilia but what he got instead was nothing more than a worried friend.

She spoke up again, "But, Link, can you at least promise me this? No matter what happens on your journey, don't try to do anything… out of your league. Please. Just come home safely."

Link was a bit taken aback. Initially, he was surprised at how quickly Ilia had calmed down, but he didn't care after her last words. It meant so much to him that he had a village full of people who truly cared for his well-being. All they wanted to see was Link return home unharmed, and he would do his best to do just that. After all, what dangers could truly lie on the road to the castle? It seemed like it was going to be a fairly quick and straightforward journey to him.

"I promise, I'll be careful," Link replied.

Ilia smiled at his response and everything was silent. In fact, things were all _too_ silent; they didn't hear the sounds of animals in the forest or the wind rustling by. When Epona began acting frazzled, Link began to really worry - Rusl had most certainly been right about something being amiss in the forest.

The young man looked around, his long, Hylian ears seemed to pick something up in the near distance. It sounded like… hoof beats and screeching.

Ilia noticed his distress and furrowed her brow, "What is it, Link?"

He had no time to respond. Immediately after her question, a large, stampeding boar came crashing through the gate with two strange green creatures riding atop it. In the back of his mind he could hear Ilia gasp in fear and Epona whinny.

There was nowhere to run to; they were cornered. Nevertheless, they attempted to run to the back of the spring, the only direction they _could_ run in. Their only hope was either climbing over the rocks behind the small pool or crouching down into the miniscule tunnel on the right side. Link watched helplessly as one of the monsters pulled back an arrow and let it fly. It pierced Ilia in the back and she tumbled to the ground motionless.

Fear and anger suddenly rooted deeply in the pit of Link's stomach, and it was like losing his parents all over again. He gasped in shock and attempted to run up to her and save her, but it was futile. In his alarmed state, he had seemed to forget about the creatures behind him - all that was on his mind was making sure that Ilia was okay. Not realizing they were there, one of the demons mercilessly bashed Link upside the head with a massive club. He felt the initial pain and his world was instantly black as he collapsed to the shallow waters below him.

Colin and Ilia were picked up by the two lesser monsters just as the leader of them all entered the small area. His beady, red eyes scanned the area for anyone left. Link, luckily, had been right below the ugly king and had gone unnoticed.

When it saw no one left, it proceeded to blow a horn, summoning a menacing portal in the sky. Pleased with himself, the grotesque monster smiled in accomplishment, displaying its hideous, yellow teeth just before they all turned and ran out of the spring.

Some time passed until Link began regaining consciousness. His mind slowly started awakening; sounds began to enter his ears as feeling began to reenter his body. He held his eyes shut tighter just before opening them a slit. The sun was blinding, and he had a splitting headache.

At first, he had no idea where he was or what had happened. The last thing he remembered was herding goats in the morning. He reached a hand up to his throbbing head and groaned. He took a moment to look around as thoughts and memories began flooding in. That's when he finally remembered – they were ambushed and his friends were taken.

As soon as he realized what happened, he jumped to his feet and looked around frantically. Seeing no one around him, he ran for the only direction they could have gone in. He sprinted at a breakneck pace towards Faron Woods. He crossed the bridge and what he found on the other side nearly stilled the beating of his heart.

He halted in his tracks abruptly - before him stood a menacing black and orange wall. This had never been here before; what in Hyrule was it? He racked his brain for a solution, anything to explain this, but he was at a loss. He stared at it for a moment, completely and utterly confused. He was just about to reach out and touch the strange wall until he suddenly saw the shape of a hand come at him at full speed. It grabbed him with all its might and he screamed as it pulled him through the ominous curtain.

The surroundings changed instantly before him. The sky was the color of dusk, the ground was covered in shadows, and all around him black shapes floated about, but all he could concentrate on was the fact that he was being strangled by a large, terrifying creature.

It held Link up to what he assumed was its face, as if to be examining him. He squirmed and wriggled beneath the monster's grip, but it was futile. He had never seen anything like this before in his life, not even in picture books or stories of make-believe lands. Fear coursed through his body like it rarely ever did. His heart was beating what felt like a million times per second, pure, unbridled panic taking over his being. The beast's giant hand was choking him and squishing his upper half. Link tried with all his strength to pry the demon's hand from him, but it was too powerful.

At that moment, he inexplicably felt a strong presence on his left hand. He wasn't sure what caused it, but shortly after that the creature threw him from its grasp like a discarded rag doll. He yelled as he flew through the air and collided harshly with the ground. He tried to get back to his feet, but to no avail; something was terribly wrong.

He got to his knees on all fours as even doing that much was quite the task. He could hear his heart beat in his ears, he could feel his pulse quickening, and with each thump of his heart he felt pain. His body felt as if it was on fire.

He looked around him momentarily, his vision beginning to blur, until it became too much to stand and he slammed his eyes shut. The strange sensation in his left hand had not left him, and it was burning as if he had stuck it into a boiling pot of water. He writhed on the ground in agony, his entire body shaking in protest of whatever was taking it over.

What was happening to him?

Why was he in so much pain?

He was so confused, but he could barely take a moment to question what was happening as his agony suddenly tripled.

A sharp, intense pain shot throughout him in an instant, and he let loose a blood curdling scream. He looked up for something, anything that would relieve him from this torture. He could feel his muscles twisting and contorting beneath his skin. His insides felt like they were scorching and his flesh felt as if it was merely peeling away.

In an instant that felt like a thousand years, he could feel his body take on a different shape. After that, all he knew was pain, and his world went black.

* * *

_**Wondering who, or what, you truly are.**_


	7. Shrouded in Twilight

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 1/21/13 – About half rewritten._

_This chapter was revised as of 5/10/13 – Minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 7: Shrouded in Twilight

**.:.**

As consciousness began slowly draining back into his aching body, so, too, did the memories of what had just happened to him, and he knew he had to be dreaming.

He remembered preparing for his trip to Hyrule Castle, only to get suddenly bombarded by a band of monsters. He recalled seeing Ilia and Colin get knocked out and kidnapped, and then he remembered being nearly strangled to death by some demonic creature that he had never seen before. After that, all he knew was an excruciating pain that wouldn't cease. He could recall screaming and wanting naught more than relief, and then there was nothingness.

As his mind trickled back into reality, he realized right away that something felt… _off_. He didn't feel right in his own skin, but he wasn't sure why. He felt exceedingly hot and strangely itchy. His senses faded in one after the other, and when each one made itself known, Link got an increasingly worse headache. His every sense seemed doubled, maybe even tripled, and it sent his mind into a flurry before he had even opened his eyes.

He began lifting his heavy eyelids and, through no more than a slit, he looked around. His head pounded as he tried to take in his surroundings only to discover that one of two things had happened: he either transported into a dark, evil world, or his vision had completely changed. His eyes could only make out certain colors, but everything was sharper and clearer than ever.

He closed his eyes and shook his head, hoping to reawaken whatever part of his mind was still dormant and making him feel as if he had gone crazy. When he reopened them, nothing changed. He found that he was in a small jail cell that was cold and dank. As he went to stand up, he noticed that - not only did he reach merely half of his actual height - but he was standing… on four legs? He looked down at himself and what he saw stopped the beating of his heart and stilled his breath.

Paws… _Paws_? No, this couldn't be. This was a dream, there was now not a doubt in his mind. But it felt so _real_. It had to be a dream, though… right?

His front foot was cuffed and chained to the floor, preventing him from going anywhere. His suddenly strange new animalistic instincts forced him to gnaw at the metal links in hopes of getting free, but it was futile. He stopped and simply stood for a moment, trying to grasp the situation at hand.

He could feel the dull pain on the back of his head from when that wretched fiend bashed him with the club back in the spring. He could feel the soreness on his neck from when he was being choked by that terrifying shadow monster. He could smell the dampness in the air. He could feel the wetness beneath his feet – _paws_. He could hear the sound of dripping water in the distance. He could feel his long _tail_ against his back legs.

This was too real… it couldn't be a dream. When he realized that this was most definitely _real,_ he nearly had a mental breakdown.

How could this be? How could this have happened? How was he going to return to himself? Was he even still himself at all? How could this be…?

He had so many questions, so much confusion that he wanted to scream, but he found that he had no voice. He ducked his head low and his body began shaking in sheer frustration with no way to release it. He was screaming on the inside; his mind was reeling and his emotions were near their boiling point.

When the initial feelings of anger and confusion subsided, he was left with acceptance and determination. He knew now that this was real and he was going to have to do something about it. He realized that he couldn't just sit in this cell and pray to the Goddesses that help would come his way – he had to come up with an idea.

He began chewing away with all his might on the chain that bound him to the dirty ground. He gnawed on it for so long and with such ferocity that his gums started to bleed. When he acknowledged that there was no way he was going to break the chains, he slumped onto his belly on the ground, and that was when defeat and hopelessness took over.

He was going to be stuck like this forever, he thought. He would remain in this cell, as a canine, until he withered and perished. He cared not for his own safety, he just wished he could die knowing that Ilia and Colin had been rescued.

A faint giggle at his side caught his attention, and he immediately snapped from his thoughts and got back to his feet. He looked around, unable to find anyone or anything that could have made such a noise. He approached the metal bars as closely as his cuff would allow and glanced outside, looking down the long stretch of hallway, and he saw not a soul.

When he turned back around, what he saw made his heart skip a beat. There was a small creature – an imp? – in his cell that had not been there only a second prior. The strange being was of miniscule stature and hovered one or two feet off the ground.

This imp's feminine features and defined waist told Link that it was female – whatever _it_ was. Her skin was pale in some places and dark in others with bizarre colored runes and lines tracing along her arms and legs. Her ears were long and pointed, even more so than Link's – in his _true_ form, that is. Billowing out behind her in thick orange and yellow waves was what Link suspected to be her hair.

She had on a very peculiar headpiece that was nearly the size of her entire body. It appeared to be made of stone and it covered her left eye. Cracks and severs along the edge above her right eye indicated that there was once more to the unusual helmet and that it had perhaps been broken.

She simply remained there, staring at him with her only visible eye. It bore into him in a calculating way, the deep red color of her iris examining every inch of him. His upper lip curled into a snarl, hoping to show this intruder that he was very much able to defend himself, even though, truthfully, he wasn't entirely sure how his new body worked just yet.

She didn't look too menacing, but he couldn't be sure of anything anymore.

The imp suddenly grinned widely, baring a particularly sharp tooth as she proclaimed, "I found you!"

Her voice was chipper and filled with joy. Even though her words were confusing, he was beginning to think that maybe this strange girl could help him. He didn't back down, though, still unsure if he could trust this stranger or not.

His low growling made her laugh, "Ooh! Aren't you scary!"

Clearly, his sharp teeth and unwavering disposition did not intimidate this girl in the slightest. What in Hyrule could she _be_?

She folded her dainty arms over her chest and said with a narrowed eye and a shake of her head, "Are you sure you want to be doing that? Snarling and glaring at me?"

He didn't let up.

"Well, that's too bad," she sighed in mock disappointment, "I was planning on helping you… if you were nice."

Link instantly stopped, hiding his bared teeth behind his lips and standing upright as he listened to her words.

"That's much better!" she giggled, "You humans are obedient to a fault, aren't you?"

Wait… she knew he was a human? How could she know that?

"Oops! But you aren't a human anymore, are you? You're a beast!" she laughed again, tapping harshly on the underside of his chin.

He snapped at her, partially by reflex but mostly out of agitation.

"There, there! You be a good boy and calm down. No need to bite!" she said with a cheeky grin before holding her palms open over one another and creating a ball of otherworldly magic between her hands.

Link jumped when she whisked the bolt straight toward him, only to discover that it didn't mean harm at all, it had actually severed the chain binding him to the floor. He looked down at his newly freed paw, then back up at the girl, then back down at his foot. He was shocked – did she actually intend to help him?

"You look kind of surprised!" she giggled again as she suddenly popped right in front of his face, "So! I bet you're wondering, where exactly are we?" she said as she floated through the air until reaching the cell bars. She then transformed her small frame into dozens of dimly colored bubbles that traversed through the metal and transported her to the other side with ease.

He gaped in awe at the display as she suddenly appeared before his eyes on the outside of the cell. He shook his head, hoping desperately that it would wake him up from whatever nightmare he was having. He reopened them to see her beckoning him to find a way over to her and that she would help him escape once he did.

Even though he had accepted that this was real and it was truly happening to him, he couldn't help but continue to wish that he would suddenly jolt up in bed and find himself back in his tree house. He wanted nothing more than to wake up and discover it had only been another one of his recurring nightmares. Sadly though, he knew he would not wake up from this hell.

When she had called him over to her, it didn't take him even a second to find his way out. He had been staring at that oddly placed crate since he regained consciousness. He had acknowledged right away, considering his cell was otherwise empty, that a wooden box had no place there unless it was covering up something. He was also sure that was why he had been chained to the ground.

He approached the crate and pushed it out of the way with ease, discovering that it had, indeed, been covering up a rather large hole beneath the bars that was just big enough for him to crawl through.

He emerged on the other side and shook some of the dirt and debris from his newly acquired thick coat of fur. That was when he realized that the strange girl was now nowhere to be seen. He then heard her laughter and began searching all around, but he could not spot her. Just when he was about to give up and continue on his own, the devilish little creature plopped down on his back from somewhere unknown.

He began thrashing about, trying with all his might to buck her off, but she held on tightly. After only a short moment or two, the girl grabbed painfully at his ear and halted him instantly. He bared his teeth at her, growling menacingly as he attempted to reach back and bite her, but to no avail.

She pinched his ear tighter, resulting in a quiet whimper as she said, "Listen, you're not as stupid as I thought, and I kinda like you, so I think I'll get you out of here," she then leaned in close and whispered, "But in exchange for my help, you have to do exactly as I say. You'll be my _servant_ in every sense of the word. Get it?"

Her voice had taken a drastically different turn. Instead of her initial high-pitched and playful tone, her last words sounded malicious and dark. He wanted to tell her no - actually, he wanted to _scream_ it at her, but he was unable. Even if he had been able to, it wouldn't have done any good. He had no idea where he was, what had happened, or anything of the nature of what was going on; he needed this bizarre imp, and he regretfully accepted that fact.

Taking a moment to let her words sink into her new toy's mind, she then kicked him punitively in the ribcage and shouted, "Now, come on! Get moving!"

He could only pray to the Goddesses that he wouldn't have to deal with this girl for much longer.

Link had figured out walking in his new body fairly quickly, after all, throughout his entire life most physical things came to him rather effortlessly. However, running with four legs was a completely different story. At first he stumbled a bit, but he didn't give up; he got to his feet and continued trying. After a few more attempts at learning how his new legs worked, the pesky creature on his back became impatient.

"What are you doing? It can't be that hard!" she spat at him angrily, "Just think of how you run normally, and then add two more legs! Now, come on! Let's go! We don't have all day!"

Link sighed and got back up. He concentrated with all his might on how to use his legs as he made his way out of the prison and into the sewers. The more he ran, the easier it became for him, and he couldn't help but think about how strange it felt to have four legs to run on.

Upon entering the sewer system, he noticed that there was a mysterious blue colored flame hovering in mid-air a ways in front of him. Link stared at it confusedly for a moment until he was informed by the imp of his new finely tuned senses being a beast. He remembered thinking on it briefly when he had first woken up, but it had been pushed aside when the more disturbing fact that he was now a wolf took the front seat.

Now that it was brought to the forefront of his mind, he could tell that his senses _were_, in fact, stronger. He picked up on scents he had never smelled before and he could hear things in the far distance. His long, Hylian ears when he was a human were already very good at picking up distinct sounds, so the fact that his hearing was even more progressed excited him. When he was told to really concentrate and use the full potential of his newly heightened sense of sight, what had been nothing more than an oddly floating blaze turned into what appeared to be the ghost of a soldier.

He was initially confused, and his miniature guide wasn't much help either; all she told him was that it was a spirit perhaps from another world. He had no idea what she meant, but he had come to terms with the fact that he had basically no idea what was going on at all, so it was simply another thing to add to his list of confusions.

They continued through the sewers for quite some time. Link found it odd that instead of finding rats down here, he, instead, came across tiny versions of the large, shadowy beast that had throttled him previously. There were so many things he wanted to ask this mysterious girl but, of course, he was unable to. He probably wouldn't have been able to find the words even if he had had his voice at the time; there were simply too many questions and too much confusion rattling around in his brain to condense it into terms.

He had taken a few scratches from the small enemies he found down here, but nothing severe and nothing he couldn't handle. Every time he did something that wasn't to the liking of the rider atop his back he got a good scolding and a kick for it. He was sure he was going to have bruised ribs from all the times she became frustrated with him for not being quick enough, not understanding something, or even simply being lost. He growled at her silently but trekked on nonetheless.

After making his way through the sewer and enduring relentless taunting, they came into a tall, circular room with a spiral staircase leading all the way to the very top of the corridor. Link immediately started scaling the steps, and when he came to a gap in the path he went straight for the jump, not taking it for much more than a few feet wide. However, as he went to land on the opposite side, the floor crumbled beneath his paws and he fell into the water below. He let out a small whimper as some of the rubble collapsed on top of him.

"Ugh… what are you doing?" she complained.

Link was still for a moment, the impact of the heavy debris falling on his already wounded head immobilized him temporarily.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Get going! Try again!"

He shook his head slightly, trying to clear his vision as he snapped from his stupor and made his way over to the spot where he had leapt from moments ago.

"I guess I have to do everything for you! I'll guide you to sure footing, so try to aim for exactly where I am. Got it?" she explained as she floated over to the other side just beyond the fissure.

He concentrated for a moment, but didn't hesitate; fear wasn't something that Link often had to deal with. He jumped and landed precisely where the imp had led him to successfully, and he let out a sigh of relief upon reaching firm ground. They continued up the stairs, leaping over numerous gaps along the way until they came to a thin rope. Link stared at it for a moment, unsure if he could truly balance on it long enough to get all the way across.

"Staring at it isn't gonna get us to the other side. Go on!" she demanded with a swift kick to his sides as if he was nothing more than a ride to a destination, not a living being.

He put his paw on the rope gently at first, making sure that it was stable to walk on and that it could hold his weight. After seeing that it was safe, he cautiously placed his next foot in front of the previous one. Slowly but surely, he made it halfway across and was pretty proud of his accomplishment. That was, at least, until his _'friend'_ continued growing impatient.

"What's taking so long? Get a move on!" she hissed, displeased with how long it was taking him.

With that, she gave him another jolt in his ribs and he instantly became unbalanced. He wiggled like a worm on the rope for quite some time, accepting in his mind that he was about to fall and get extremely injured. However, that didn't happen; he noticed that as a wolf he had much better balance. It took a few moments, but he was eventually able to regain his stability, and he made it the rest of the way across with ease.

He jumped a few more gaps until they reached the top of the circular corridor. Bats flapped around in this room incessantly and Link brought an end to them swiftly just before the creature on his back pointed out a way out through a window high above the room. She helped him leap over several pieces of rubble and posts outstretching from the wall, and they reached the top rather quickly.

"So, we were finally able to get out," she stretched and yawned, "And look at the sky! Isn't the black cloud of twilight looking beautiful today?"

How strange this girl was; Link didn't think it was beautiful at all. Everything was dark and gloomy, monsters were roaming about freely, and he was seeing ghosts - so far this was not a good day.

"Do you know where this is?" she asked.

He was silent in thought. He had a feeling, but he couldn't be sure; there weren't many places he had seen with his own eyes.

"You still don't know?" she laughed; why did she always have to laugh? "Look, there's someone I want to introduce you to… but I'll need you to go to that tower to do it!"

Another demand, but he obliged without reluctance; after all, he had no other choice. It only took a few steps until they came across another spirit. He stared at it for a moment until his new companion explained to him that these phantoms could indeed see the various monsters that plagued this haunted place, but they could not see either of them.

He listened to what the ghost rambled on about to himself, and amidst the mindless drabble and worries, he heard the words 'Hyrule Castle.' This couldn't truly be _the_ Hyrule Castle, but then again, it wasn't as if there was more than one. He looked down, trying to wrap his brain around what that could possibly mean, but the imp soon shook him from his thoughts and sent him forward.

Link ran across rooftops and spires, fighting off monstrous birds along the way. He had already grown accustomed to his new body and running was no longer an obstacle. He was still far from comfortable and he still had a lot to learn in order to become fully agile and competent in the ways of maneuvering on four legs, he just hoped he wouldn't be stuck this way long enough for him to get really good at it.

His paws made a pitter patter sound that complemented the hum of the rain falling from the orange tinted sky, and before he knew it, he was in another circular chamber containing a spiral staircase; at least this one wasn't dilapidated, he thought.

They ascended the stairs and at the top was a wooden door left ajar. He pushed the door open with his muzzle and walked in hesitantly. A cloaked figure stood beside the only window in the cold room and Link immediately began growling, his first instincts telling him that this dark form meant harm.

After all, he had come across quite a few shady creatures by now and he couldn't be sure. That was, until the figure turned around to see who had entered.

Link instantly stopped snarling as he became mesmerized. The person - who he could now tell was a young woman - had a majority of her face covered, and yet he could still tell that she was beautiful beyond all comparison. Her skin shone like porcelain in the gold light that flooded in from the window. The amount of beauty he could see from only the small portion of her face that wasn't covered by her hood made him eager to see the rest of it.

He took a few steps toward the female and she broke the silence calling out, "Midna?"

The imp giggled, "You remembered my name? What an honor for me."

So that's the strange girl's name, Link mentally noted. But, how was it that these two knew each other?

"So, this is the one for whom you were searching…"

Midna thought for a moment, "He's not exactly what I had in mind, but… I guess he'll do."

Do for what? Confused… he was so confused…

The cloaked woman knelt down to Link's eyelevel, looking him over from a closer vantage point. She noticed the chain on his front leg, "You were imprisoned?" she asked before turning away as if ashamed, before continuing, "I am sorry."

There was silence for a moment, and Link found it impossible to take his eyes away from this mysterious person's deep blue ones.

"Poor thing," Midna spoke up as she patted his back, "he has no idea where this is or what's happened. So, don't you think you should explain to him what you've managed to do? You owe him that much… Twilight Princess!"

Princess? The more they spoke, the more the young Hylian grew frustrated with confusion. He had kept calm about it for the most part up until now, but he was coming close to his boiling point, which was saying a lot for him. They spoke of him as if he wasn't even present, but he was fully aware that they were talking about him - at least he was fully aware of _one_ thing, all else was a blur of perplexity. Her gaze fell to the floor as if she was contemplating something, and in an instant she was staring back into Link's eyes.

"Listen carefully…" she began, "This was once the land where the power of the gods was said to slumber. This was once the kingdom of Hyrule. But that blessed kingdom has been transformed by the king that rules the twilight… It has been turned into a world of shadows, ruled by creatures who shun the light."

Link's mind flipped upside down, and he had to shake his head harshly to bring it back into place. Perhaps his hearing as a beast was skewed, or perhaps he really was just having an elaborate dream, because this could not truly… _honestly_… be happening. Could this really be the same Hyrule Castle that he was planning on delivering the special gift to? What a stupid question, he thought, of course it is, but how could it be?

The supposed princess went on to explain the previous events leading up to said twilight invasion. Link listened as intently as he possibly could, trying to retain all the information possible. She explained that there was a swarm of shadow beasts that attacked the castle. He assumed they were the same beasts as the one that nearly strangled him to death before by her description of them. He noticed that she spoke in a very regal, intellectual manner... perhaps she really _was_ a princess. But of what, he had no idea.

She carried on to explain that the Hylian soldiers could not hold their own in the attack and that the evil forces made their way to the throne room to confront her. She explained in detail a very malevolent man with an eerie disposition about him that wore a strange mask to cover his face. She said that that man was the ruler of the twilight, and after the castle was taken, said king demanded that they either surrender or die.

She chose to surrender.

"Twilight covered Hyrule like a shroud, and without light, the people became as spirits. Within the twilight, they live on, unaware that they have passed into spirit forms… All the people know now is fear… Fear of a nameless evil…"

With each statement made, Link noted mentally that he had reached the pinnacle of all confusion, and yet, it seemed each statement following made him even more perplexed. If all who enter the twilight become as spirits, why had he not?

"The kingdom succumbed to twilight, but I remain its princess," the young woman stated as she reached her gloved arms up and began lowering her hood.

Her beauty was compelling. She had long, pointed ears, just like he had always had. A gold tiara sat gently on the princess' head as elegant, brown tendrils of silky hair flowed out from where the hood once concealed them. She opened her eyes, and Link was awestruck. They were deep azure pools that sparkled magnificently, even in the dim setting that took place. Although, he could tell there was a mysterious sadness behind them.

"I am Zelda," her smooth, feminine voice echoed in the hallow chambers that sounded like bells to Link's ears.

"You don't have to look so sad!" Midna spoke up, "We actually find it to be quite livable! I mean, is perpetual twilight really all that bad?"

_Yes_, he thought, it was to him. He hadn't been in it long at all and it was already wearing down on him; he couldn't imagine _living_ in it.

"Midna… This is no time for levity. The shadow beasts have been searching far and wide for you. Why is this?" the princess questioned with all the seriousness in the world as she stared Midna down for the answer.

The small imp floated up into the air effortlessly, hovering over her mount with her back to the Hylian princess, "Why indeed? You tell me!" she giggled, her words thick with sarcasm and heavily hiding whatever truth there was to conceal.

Zelda dismissed her lack of a true response as she turned her attention back to the wolf, "Time has grown short. The guard will soon make his rounds."

Midna plopped harshly onto the young man's back, still avoiding the gaze of the princess.

"You must leave here, quickly," Zelda demanded.

Link nodded and took off without another word. He wanted to stay in the princess' company, but knew that he must obey her words. He felt calm near her, and her presence was soothing to him, being that she was the only one that made any sense in this crazy world he had fallen into. He couldn't explain it, but he somehow felt a connection to the Princess of Hyrule.

He dashed down the stairs like mad, trying to outrun said guard that would be coming. Suddenly, his rider pulled back ruthlessly on his ears, halting him in his path immediately. She warned him that they could not go that way - that the guard was approaching. She pointed at the window they had entered from previously, and she helped him reach it without much difficulty.

They made it back outside to find that the rain had not stopped. Was that part of the deal with the land being covered in twilight and all? There was a part of Link, a single twinge of hope, that believed that he would step out of that window and the twilight would be gone. Of course, however, it was still there.

"Well? Do you understand where we are now?" Midna giggled, "I guess a promise is a promise, so I'll let you go back to where you first tumbled into twilight."

He inwardly sighed in relief.

"But… are you really sure you should be going back? Are you sure you aren't forgetting something important?"

Before his very eyes, that pesky imp took on the form of a screaming Colin, and then the form of a terrified Ilia. Link gasped, why did this creature like taunting him and toying with his emotions so?

"Do you want to save them? Well, in that case, little Midna would be happy to help you! But… Well, you'd still have to hold true to what I told you earlier. You'd be my servant, and like a servant, you'd have to do exactly as I say."

There was something about this little imp… this _Midna_… that did not sit well with him. She was sarcastic, bossy, and got far too much pleasure from making him feel worse than he already was. As much as he found this girl to be an overbearing pest, he would gladly be her servant in order to gain her aid in saving his loved ones.

"Why don't you go back, take a little time, and give it some thought."

With that, she cast some form of dark magic on him despite his attempt at protest, and once again, he could see nothing but shadows.

* * *

_**To realize the danger that is threatening the world.**_


	8. Chosen by the Gods

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 2/4/13 – Polished, added narrative._

_This chapter was revised as of 5/12/13 – Minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 8: Chosen by the Gods

**.:.**

To say that he had a million feelings coursing throughout him at once was an understatement – a _huge_ understatement.

One minute he was fetching his mare, preparing for his trip to Hyrule Castle, and the next he was chasing after the demonic creatures that kidnapped his friends. He had tumbled into something others commonly referred to as the '_twilight_,' and somehow was changed into a wolf, of all things. As if that wasn't enough, a pesky imp made it her mission to give him a hard time – his just reward for letting her help him, he supposed.

He had met the princess, and learned of the horrible fate that had befallen all of Hyrule, as if he could do something about it. All he wanted to do was get his loved ones back safely.

That rotten creature, Midna, had forced him to steal from his own neighbors – his _family_. He had just had about enough of her, and he was glad for a moment that she was gone. That was, until he realized that she wasn't _really_ gone, but that she could become his shadow. As if this day couldn't get any worse.

He had heard the villagers saying that not only were Ilia and Colin taken from them, but all the other children as well. They even included Link in that group, thinking he was kidnapped along with them. He also heard that Rusl had gotten terribly wounded, presumably from trying to fight off the beasts that attacked the village unsuccessfully.

Every time he had come within sight of any of his friends, they had fled in terror. Rusl even tried to assault him. He wished more than anything that he could speak to them; tell them that it was him and that he was going to do everything in his power to get the children back, but no matter what, he knew he could not.

As he had traveled through the woods, not only were the miserable green monsters lurking about, but he also came across another one of those grotesque beasts in the spring that had dragged him into the twilight previously. As he waded in the spring's water, something unexpected happened – he was spoken to by a light spirit.

The Ordonians often gossiped of their guardian deity formally called Ordona, but Link wasn't sure if he ever believed in it. He knew of the three golden Goddesses and he, like all other Hylians, believed in them religiously, but light spirits? He wasn't so sure. All his uncertainties were put to rest as he was called upon by the spiritual being.

After disposing of the terrifying shadow beast, the spirit spoke to him of things that he didn't quite understand. It told him that all of Hyrule was succumbing to the darkness that is the twilight, and that he was the only one that could stop the disastrous spread. According to Ordona, Link had always possessed some unknown power that he was simply unaware of until now.

However, what was said that had stuck out to him most was that by travelling to the other spirit spring in Faron Woods and reviving the light spirit, he could return to his true form. He remembered thinking that if he could just become human again, he could take off and find his missing friends and bring them home safe and sound without a problem.

That wasn't exactly what ended up happening.

The light spirit, Faron, had told him to collect the tears of light from these strange insects that were invisible to his normal senses, just as people were in this demented realm. Link could see them with his canine eyesight, though, and he took them all out with ease. He had pranced back to the spring happily, thinking that this was finally the end of this torture he had been put through.

Boy, was he ever wrong.

Now he was here, ankle deep in the spring water in Faron Woods, every emotion imaginable attacking his young mind in a flurry.

After returning the light spirit to its original state, it had relayed some… _unbelievable_ information to him - to say the least. It had told him that his transformation into a beast was no coincidence, and that, actually, it proved that he was the chosen one – whatever that meant. He was told that he was the hero chosen by the gods, and that his power was that of the ancient hero.

Link looked down at himself, now clad in the green tunic that had always been popular in tales of a legendary champion who was allegedly an ancestor of his. He knew that story well, for his parents had told it to him often and - being so intrigued by it - he committed a large majority of it to memory. He was named after his famous predecessor, the man who changed history by altering time and defeating an evil tyrant named Ganondorf.

He sat down on the sandy shore, staring aimlessly into the bright blue sky. His mind was reeling; _he_ was the chosen hero? Why him? Just two days ago he was nothing more than a ranch hand, humbly doing his daily chores of rounding up goats and tending to animals, now he was supposed to save the world and 'match the power of the king of shadows'?

It was insane to even think about; preposterous really. He had only ever sparred with Rusl and downed a few mindless fiends on the outskirts of Ordon, and now he was expected to defeat some evil king?

He was almost… _angry_.

He clenched his fists, looking down at the gloves that newly adorned them. Why would the Goddesses choose him to be their hero? He knew nothing of the twilight or the malevolent beings trying to engulf the world in it. Of course, he was willing to do whatever he had to, it was simply in his nature, he just wasn't sure that they chose the right individual for the task.

A hero was a big title, especially in Hyrule. People weren't called heroes on a normal basis, or for simple, everyday deeds. The term '_hero_' was reserved for the most important of people, and he wasn't so positive he fit that role. He had never been anything special, nothing out of the ordinary or unique; he was always simply Link the goat herder - how could that possibly change now?

He fiddled with the russet colored bracer on his left arm when something glowing caught his eye. He removed the armguard along with the charcoal glove and examined his hand closely.

Right there, shining brightly, was the sacred triangle, the Triforce.

Two of the triangles were rather dim, whereas the right-most one shone with a beautiful golden glow. He had never seen this on his hand before – perhaps it had never been there, or perhaps it was hidden to him until now. It was as if the Goddesses meant it as a sign to him at that moment, as if they were telling him that they chose him for a reason, not by chance.

The young man furrowed his brow, contemplating the idea that the gods were trying to tell him something. He closed his eyes and sighed, it was all almost too much to take in. He put his glove on and situated the bracer back into its place. He had so many questions, so much confusion that it frustrated him. He wished he could meet with the Goddesses, even if only for a moment, just to get some clarity. What was it _exactly_ that he was expected to do?

"Well, well…" Midna popped out from his shadow to taunt him, "You're the chosen hero and all that, huh? So that's why you turned into that beast! What a shame… I mean, maybe you'd rather just wander as a spirit like the rest of them, totally unaware of what was happening for all eternity… right?"

It was as if she said that to get a rise out of him, but it didn't work. His gaze lingered up at her for a moment, and then he dropped it once again. He watched as the water slowly lapped at his boots; he had never worn boots before.

His mind wandered to that of Ilia and the other children, what had become of them? He didn't want to think about it. The sheer thought of them being hurt or scared made him _furious._

Getting no response from her wolf, Midna spoke up again, "So… what are you going to do? Are you going to head to that temple?"

He had almost forgotten about the temple altogether. The light spirit had mentioned something about a dark power resting in a sanctuary deep within the woods that needed to be acquired in order to match the shadow king's power. He wasn't so sure he really wanted to have anything to do with a _'dark power,'_ but he guessed he had no choice.

He exhaled again, "Yes, I must," he replied, his eyes still focused on the shallow waters beneath his feet.

The imp was slightly shocked; that was the first time she had heard his voice – she was beginning to think he was mute. She had seen him in his native form for only a few moments now, but she remembered finding it odd that he hadn't uttered a single word the whole time the light spirit was speaking with him, and that he hadn't said a thing to her afterwards either.

It was strange; she hadn't expected him to sound like _that._

His voice was deep and calm, and even though he spoke quietly, it held a power beneath it that intrigued her. She wouldn't dare say that to him, though. She was also quite taken aback at how handsome he was. The way his sandy-blond hair framed his masculine features and the perfect muscular tone to his entire body – let's just say she didn't mind staring.

All that aside, though, he was her _tool_, her means to an end, and she couldn't let anything get in the way of that.

"Well, isn't that convenient! I was about to head there myself."

"Oh?" he looked up at her transparent form, wondering what a small creature such as herself would want with the temple or the dark power.

She faltered a bit, obviously hiding something, "Hey, look… you want to help your friends, right?" she changed the subject, "The way I see it, maybe they're in the temple, waiting for you to come rescue them."

Link perked up; could they truly be in the temple? He stared into her single, glowing eye, hoping to spot the truth.

She noticed this and quickly made her exit, chiming, "Well, good luck, Mister Important Hero! See you later!" and with a giggle, she took residence within his shadow once again.

As he remained stationary in front of the cascading waterfalls, his mind felt as if it was about to burst from the intense facts he had just been told. It started to overwhelm him, the more he thought on it. How was he supposed to save Hyrule, nay, the whole world, from destruction?

The more he thought about it, the more he doubted himself, despite witnessing the golden triangle on his hand. Was he truly blessed by the Goddesses, or was this some divine hoax?

He was drawn from his thoughts as he heard footsteps approaching. He whirled around, ready to attack whatever foul beast was coming at him this time. However, when he noticed it wasn't a monster at all, he lowered his guard.

"I thought I heard somethin' out h-…" the usually dissonant southern drawl of Fado was like music to his ears in his current mindset; he was glad to hear that he was alright. Truthfully, he was just glad to hear someone noticing him for _him_ and not a monster.

He stopped midsentence, taking a moment to really look at who he was talking to, "Link? Is that you bud?"

Link nodded silently as he sheathed his blade with a look of relief, but Fado still seemed confused.

"Everyone's been worried sick, thinkin' you were taken an' all that. But… looks like you're okay…" he raised an eyebrow, "Uh… what's with them duds?"

Link looked down at himself, "Oh, uh… I'll explain later. How is everyone?" he asked, trying desperately to change the subject as he headed off in the direction of the village.

Fado scratched the back of his neck confoundedly, "Well, why don't'cha see for yourself?" the ranch hand responded as he followed behind Link on the way back to Ordon.

The village held an entirely different atmosphere than that of the one he had grown to love. Not only were beasts roaming the forest, but that same, horrified feeling carried into the town.

It was exceptionally quiet; all that could be heard was the occasional cluck of a chicken or bleat of a goat. There were hardly any people outside, and the ones that were ran up to him with open arms, enveloping him in an anxious embrace. It took some time, seeing as how everyone he saw wanted to speak with him extensively and find out if he was alright, but he eventually made it around to every house and spoke with each person.

It was a small village, and he was close to everyone like family, so it was important that he let everyone know that he was well and that he was going to bring the children back safely, no matter what the cost – even if it meant his life.

In time, he finally made it to the last house at the end of the village, the one he grew up in and the first place he was brought to as a child – Rusl and Uli's home.

He was slightly afraid to enter; he didn't know what to expect on the other side of the door. He knocked gingerly and the delicate voice of Uli was nearly inaudible, but he could make out the words _'come in_.' He opened the door slowly and peeked in, still not entirely inside. There, lying motionless on the sofa was the form of a wounded Rusl.

"Oh, Link!" Uli exclaimed excitedly. He was sure she would have leapt from her seat and given him such a hug that rivaled those of all of the villagers combined, but she didn't want to disturb her husband who was beside her. "Oh, goodness dear, come inside."

He stepped into the small home and closed the door behind him before turning back around to face the two people he considered to be like parents to him.

"Link… are you alright?" she asked worriedly.

He nodded, "I'm fine… is Rusl?"

Uli looked down at the unconscious form of the man she loved, "He got injured trying to ward off those foul creatures… but he will be alright," she responded as she placed a hand on his cheek.

She looked back up at Link, "Do you, by any chance, know where the children are?" she asked, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

His gaze fell to that of the floor beneath his feet, and she knew what that response meant, "I see…" she sighed, "But, at least you have come back to us. That is wonderful to know," she smiled.

He looked over at her and forced a smile of his own, although she could undoubtedly tell it was not genuine.

There was silence for quite some time until Link spoke up, "I'll bring Colin back safe, I promise you that."

Uli smiled a fake smile herself, "Thank you, those words mean a lot to me… But, Link, I do hope you know that you are as much a son to me as Colin, and I would never want anything to happen to you either… you do know this, don't you?"

Link was still for a moment, there was almost certainly no way that Uli could ever know how much what she had just said meant to him. "I do," he replied happily.

Uli nodded and smiled as Link began turning around to leave. Just as he placed his hand on the knob and opened the door ever so slightly, she spoke up again, "Um, dear? Whatever are you wearing?"

Link looked back at her with a smirk and a nervous laugh, "Uh, I'll tell you another time. I'll see you soon, promise," and with that, he left.

Waiting for him just outside the door was none other than Fado.

"Hey there bud, I was just, uh… hopin' you could help me with the goats right quick? If you ain't too busy…" he asked, seemingly nervous.

Link didn't like that he was strangely acting different around him.

"Of course I will," he replied willingly. He was eager to get the whole 'hero chosen by the gods,' nonsense off his mind for a while.

"You will? Hoo boy! That sure is a load off! With you helpin' we'll be done in no time!"

Link had to smile as the two young men headed up the trail to the ranch, and it was a _true_ smile at that. As soon as the duo reached the open clearing, Fado brought something up that hadn't even entered Link's mind.

"Where's Epona?"

Link's heart sank - where _was_ Epona? Had she been taken just the same as the children?

Anger welled up inside of him so quickly that he didn't know what to do with all of it. If someone was hurting his mare, the one _true_ family member he had left… he didn't know what he would do, but it wouldn't be pretty.

Seeing his sudden realization and distress, Fado spoke up, "It's alright bud, ya'll can help another time. I understand, with what ya'll been through an' all…"

Link sighed, calming himself considerably – he had always been good at concealing his emotions, "Sorry Fado, I'll come back and help out as soon as I can find Epona," he assured his friend as he gave him a quick nod and headed back down to the village.

By now it was nearly dusk, and everyone was in their homes for the night. Link passed through relatively quickly and stopped outside his home for a moment. He grabbed some of the nearby grass that Epona loved and blew into it with all his might.

He waited and waited, but she did not come.

He gave up, ready to break down. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if something had happened to his beloved friend.

Link remained still for a moment, contemplating to go on to the temple or to stay and rest for the night. The answer came easily to him – he wanted to go find his loved ones as quickly as possible, but he knew he would be no help to them in his current state; he hadn't slept in two days and his mind was about to shut down. He knew he needed to take the night to calm himself down before setting off on whatever journey awaited him.

He ascended the ladder up to his tree house, followed by the two that were inside his abode, and then he lay down on his bed and let out a long, slow exhale. He placed his hands underneath his head and closed his eyes as he tried to unwind, but that was soon ruined.

"What do you think you're doing?" the irritating voice he had almost forgotten about barked as it popped out from his shadow, "Don't you have somewhere to be going?"

Link sighed, "I need to rest, just for a little bit," he reasoned.

Midna scoffed, "Yeah, like the spread of twilight is going to wait for the '_hero'_ to take a little nap."

Link didn't respond, but not doing so actually made her _angrier_.

"Get up!" she ordered, inches from his face.

He remained composed, "I said I need to rest."

"And I said get up! You're my _servant_! Have you forgotten? You have to do as I say! Now get up!"

Link could contain himself no longer, his eyes shot open and his gaze instantly met her's, "I _said_ I need to rest! You can wait or you can go by yourself!"

Midna was silent; he never struck her as the type to get so irate. In fact, he actually was rarely ever mad; he even surprised himself. It took a lot to make Link angry, let alone to make him _yell_ at someone. It was strange for him to hear his voice so piercing; he didn't use it much, especially for screaming at someone. No one in the village had ever seen him angry before either, so for him to be this frustrated now… it took a lot, and it scared him.

He turned over in bed, now lying on his side so that he wouldn't have to face the temperamental imp in front of him.

She huffed, "Fine. See if your friends are still alive when you get to them. It sure won't be my fault."

Despite her attempts at a response from him, he said nothing, only infuriating her further.

She scoffed again, "Some hero you are," and with that, she fled back into the shadows.

He didn't mean to get so angry with her. Sure, she hadn't been kind to him in any way, shape, or form, but he was still the most kind-hearted person, and the way he acted truly bothered him.

He had always been so good at keeping himself composed, but this time he let that composure slip - something he never did. He felt ashamed, but his drowsiness soon pushed that emotion aside and sleep soon took over, leaving him to dream of simpler times.

* * *

_**Discovering that your destiny is greater than you could have ever imagined.**_


	9. A Hand with Courage

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 2/8/13 – Polished, added narrative._

_This chapter was revised as of 5/12/13 – Minor errors and typos fixed._

_This chapter was revised as of 12/15/13 – Polished, enhanced by readers' criticisms._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 9: A Hand with Courage

**.:.**

He was dead, he was sure of it.

The last thing he remembered was heading towards the aforementioned temple veiled deep within the forest, which was when he was suddenly assaulted by a large, golden wolf with one eerily glowing eye. He drew his sword, ready to defend himself, but it was futile. The hostile creature lunged at his head, and that was the end.

He opened his eyes and was instantly blinded by the bright, white light that surrounded him. Was he in the Sacred Realm? Surely he wouldn't be granted permission into such a place following death after being the Goddess' chosen hero to save the world and not even surviving a single day.

He got to his feet and looked around cautiously; this place seemed somehow familiar to him. He could hear the wolf panting behind him, but as he turned around, the beast was replaced with a rather decayed skeleton standing before him. Its bones were draped with a tattered cloth, and it wielded both a sword and a shield.

This undead looked menacing, but Link's first instinct was not to attack; he felt some strange sentiment from this creature that he was unsure of.

It wasn't until the skeleton raised its blade that Link rose his own. They stood, doing naught but staring at one another in a fighting stance for some time; it was as if the being waited for him to make the first move – to see what he had in him.

Link charged at the living bones and swung with all his might. The creature blocked his attack with his round shield and followed it with a hasty slice of his blade that sent the young hero across the misty arena. There was pain with the hit, but it was quickly gone.

As he lay on the floor trying to regain his breath, the skeleton said something that caught Link's attention.

"A sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage."

Its voice, despite its appearance, was calm and inviting. It reminded him of something he couldn't quite put his finger on, and it held a familiarity he also couldn't understand. He got to his feet as the creature continued speaking.

"You may be destined to become the hero of legend… but your current power would disgrace the proud green of the hero's tunic you wear."

He knew he wasn't entirely ready for what the Goddesses expected of him, but to say he was a disgrace to the ancient hero? That didn't sit well with him.

"You must use your courage to seek power… and find it you must. Only then will you become the hero for whom this world despairs. If you do find true courage, and you wish to save Hyrule from the horrors it now faces… then you will be worthy to receive the secrets I hold."

It wasn't as if the old bones gave him a choice in the matter, but he would have taken it regardless. There was something about this… _person_ - if you could really call it that, he wasn't sure - that he couldn't quite pin down, but in his gut he simply knew that he could trust him and was eager to learn whatever 'secrets' he held.

He went on to explain to Link that certain enemies would not be taken down with a few simple swings, and that when they might be thought to be dead, they would in fact be nothing more than stunned and waiting to strike back. He was then taught a technique formally called the ending blow, and it was just as such. The creature allowed him to perform it on himself, and yet, he suffered no injury.

Perhaps this thing was a spirit or a ghost of a person long dead? It was just a guess; he had no true, logical explanation.

He mentioned that he would need to find statues that howl with the sound of the wind in order to meet with him again before saying in closing, "There are still six hidden skills for you to learn. Those are only for one who carries the blood of the hero… the one whose spirit is that of the sublime beast."

Link furrowed his brow and thought for a moment. If these skills were truly reserved for those only of the hero's bloodline and this thing knew them… that would have to mean that this skeleton was also of the ancient hero's lineage.

"Wait, does that mean-"

"A sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage. Remember those words…"

It was as if the creature knew what he was about to say, and didn't want him to say it. He wanted to know, he was so curious, but the spirit shouted his farewell and sent the young man back to where he was first assailed by the glowing wolf.

Link fluttered his eyes open slowly, adjusting to the dim, hazy light of the forest around him. He sat up, resting on his knees for a moment as he grabbed his throbbing head; was that whole thing real? He shook his head in an attempt to clear away the fogginess of his mind when Midna popped into his line of vision.

"Finally! What do you think you're doing? I thought you were dead! When really you were just taking a nap? Ugh! What a useless wolf you are!" she screamed at him furiously as he got to his feet.

He cleared his throat, but said nothing.

"Well? You wanna have a little picnic too? Or can we finally go?" she questioned, blunt sarcasm dripping off her every word.

Link glanced at her briefly, but only for a second before he began walking towards the way into the temple, "Yes… we can go."

Midna rolled her eyes, "About time," she sighed as she swooped back into his shadow.

Link followed the trail to the top where he had rescued Talo only days ago. To think they were that close to such a dangerous place the whole time; it was unfathomable. It wasn't as if this place was expertly hidden, just nobody knew what it was exactly.

He approached what he expected was the entrance, which was covered by a thick cobweb. That must mean that spiders were inside. If Ilia had been with him, standing before the web, she would have fled in terror; she had a strong disdain for the eight-legged insects.

He took his left, gloved hand and tried simply tearing down the white mesh, but it was no use; it was rather solid despite its nature. It was then that he remembered something that the strange, young man had given to him back on the outskirts of the Faron Province the day he set off to rescue Talo – a lantern. He reached in his knapsack and pulled it out, taking only a second to ignite the flame. As soon as it came in contact with the web, it was instantly alight and the way was cleared moments later.

The Forest Temple. What a strange place, he thought.

At first all he could see was the glowing eyes of bats a few feet in front of him; he brought his lantern out in order to see and dispatched of them quickly. As he stepped out of the dark corridor that was the entrance, he found himself in a narrow, grassy area. The smell of leaves and mud filled his nostrils like wildfire. The odor of damp mold, however, was the most prominent and sickening of them all.

He took a moment to look around, noticing vines and branches scattered amongst the tree trunks. It didn't seem like he was in a temple at all, more like a giant tree filled with even more trees.

He took a step forward, that simple, singular sound disturbing a deku baba in the process as it leapt from its resting place and thrust its open chops in Link's direction. His heart jumped slightly at the sudden shock, but the insignificant creature was defeated with ease.

The sounds of monkeys screeching filled his ears, and he couldn't help but notice that same pesky primate from the other day caught up in a wooden crate, just as before, at the other end of the room.

As he started to make his way over to help her, Midna chimed in, "You're not honestly going to _help_ that thing are you?"

Link ignored her words and proceeded to break the wooden bars imprisoning the chimpanzee. It leapt up happily and appeared to be beckoning him to follow it; he did just that as it led him into another area filled with stairways and wooden platforms. He made his way down the first set of steps and as he began ascending the second flight, a massive spider dropped from the ceiling and charged him.

Link quickly unsheathed his sword, raising it up in front of him to block the arachnid's attempt at his life. He hastily responded with a quick barrage of slices, and when it fell to the floor stunned, he took the opportunity to try out the skill that was taught to him by the mysterious creature he met in that strange dream world. He leapt up into the air, blade at the ready, and landed harshly on the underside of the spider's abdomen, ending it.

The young hero took some time to explore, his curiosity about this strange place taking hold. That was, at least, until Midna grew impatient.

"It's so dark and dreary in here… Can we get a move on? This isn't the only room to this place!"

Link turned to her, "And where do you propose I go? All the doors are unreachable," he said, motioning to each of the three exits on opposite ends of the room with no clear path to them.

Midna rolled her eyes, "You really _are_ stupid," she sighed, "It's a puzzle. You didn't really expect to just waltz in here and grab the fused shadow, did you?"

He thought for a moment, and then proceeded to look around the room, "A puzzle…" he mumbled to himself.

"Uh, yeah," she scoffed, "And don't expect me to tell you what to do every second!"

The imp's words were bitter and unnecessary, as usual, so he paid her no mind. He glanced all over the room, noticing ropes, vines, and strange looking creatures scattered about. He first tried grabbing hold of the rope, thinking he could shimmy across, but he was not tall enough and could not jump high enough to reach it.

At his first attempt failing, he headed down the stairs to explore, finding nothing more than exploding bugs and a cracked wall. The monkey screeched at him to go back up the steps and he did so.

The dimness of the area began draining his energy; he never was one that enjoyed the dark much, if at all. He took out his lantern and held it close to one of the torches, instantly setting it ablaze. As he did so, he noticed that there were three other torches on the platform, and that they were placed rather harmoniously – perhaps too much so.

"What are you doing? It's already stuffy in here! We don't need more fire!" Midna barked, growing irritated at their lack of success in this temple.

Link ignored her cries in protest, continuing on to light fire to each of the torches. Upon doing so, a large, wooden staircase rose from the ground, creating a path to the far door. He glanced at the imp, merely wanting to see the reaction on her face. She hid it well, but she was shocked. He was always skilled at reading people, and he could tell despite her cold demeanor that she was surprised his idea had worked.

He couldn't help but smile – just a miniscule smile – as he headed toward the exit.

He then found himself in a vast, open clearing with naught but a narrow bridge connecting the tree he was on to the next giant oak. He took a moment to simply stand and enjoy the wind. It felt as if he was cooped up in that single room for days, when, in fact, it had been merely an hour at most. He actually enjoyed this area; it smelled similar to Ordon.

He closed his eyes and simply let the rushing breeze cool the sweat on his skin. He sighed as he remembered he had to open his eyes.

The monkey took it upon herself to charge ahead, running across the bridge at full speed. That was, until a larger, angry looking baboon holding a large boomerang appeared and broke the connection in half. The smaller primate ran back, shrieking at Link all the while to follow her. They backtracked into the previous room and the monkey helped him cross one of the gaps to a door that was on the side of the room. If only it had done that _earlier_, he thought to himself.

Room after room, they continued on. Everything was a riddle in this place. It was strange, Link thought, that a temple was here. What had it been used for, and by whom? Obviously people had been here before as there were structures and platforms built, but he had no idea who that might have been. And if it truly _was _a temple and it was perhaps used for religious purposes, why would there be traps and puzzles everywhere?

His curiosity plagued his mind most times, but he still managed to concentrate on the task at hand.

After finding and rescuing a second monkey, the opposite side of the temple was now accessible. He entered an area that was very green and lush, and yet, it had a stale odor. He descended the ramp from the entrance and was met with what he thought to be an ordinary deku baba. He swung at it a few times fast – usually all it took for those creatures to die – and as it fell to the ground he took it for dead, turning around and continuing on.

He took a few steps away until he heard rustling from where the deku baba was slain moments ago. He whirled around and was instantly met with the open maw of the monster. It was free of its roots and had latched onto Link's middle, sinking its teeth into his sides. He cried out in pain at the initial contact and was dumbstruck.

"Do something!" Midna shrieked shadow.

His arms had, luckily, missed the teeth of the beast, but were still being held firmly in the squeeze. He wriggled his left arm out of its jaw until he was able to regain full movement of it. In one fluid motion, he grabbed the hilt of the blade on his back and with a hearty yell he hacked away at its bulbous head so quickly that the ravenous plant didn't even know what hit it. It fell from the hero's waist and landed on the ground, lifeless.

Link looked down at himself and groaned. There were two deep puncture wounds on his left side and three on his right. He painfully sheathed his sword and grabbed at his sides in an attempt to cease the pain.

"Ugh, you're so careless," Midna lectured as she appeared before him; he hadn't even noticed her emerge.

He looked up at her, beads of sweat cascading down his forehead. The expression on his face was what made her ease up on him a bit – only a _bit_; she still needed him to hurry up and get her the treasure.

She folded her arms over her chest and sighed, "I _suppose_ I'll wait for you to get yourself fixed up. But that's it! That should only take a few minutes, right?"

He nodded slowly as he let his body slink to the grassy terrain below him. He fell to his knees before sitting back and resting on his shins. He removed the hand he had plastered to his side to evaluate how much blood he was losing; his hand was covered in the sticky liquid.

He shut his eyes tight and put his gloved hand back in place, hoping the pressure would staunch the bleeding. Midna continued hovering over him, observing him. She had never really witnessed someone incur injuries like this. She wasn't really concerned at all if he was in pain, as long as he didn't die – she needed him to get her the fused shadow, after that she couldn't care less what would happen to him or his friends.

He took a few moments to collect himself, and even though he was still bleeding and in agony, he got to his feet. He took a few steps, trying desperately to continue on with their _'very important mission_,' as Midna often called it, but to no avail. He only took two steps before he could take no more. He moaned and stopped in his tracks, slowly descending to the ground once again.

"Oh come on, it can't be that bad," the imp mused.

He glanced up at her for a moment, ignoring her carelessness, and then back down at his wounds, "I need a little time to stop the bleeding…"

"Ugh, fine," Midna scoffed as she flew back into the shadows.

Link kept his hands pressed firmly against his injuries, trying urgently to stop the flow of blood. It gradually let up, but did not stop altogether. After several moments of this, he eventually lay down on his back and fell asleep.

Midna came out and looked him over, noticing that the teeth of the beast truthfully had dug into his sides quite deep. She allowed him his rest, despite her impatience and annoyance; she knew he would be no good to her in this condition and would only get himself killed, and she couldn't have that.

She let him have the night to recoup and soon afterwards she forced him to get up.

The bleeding stopped significantly, not completely, but drastically from what it was previously. The young man still felt a dull, throbbing pain in each of his sides, but he worked through it. They continued on with the temple, venturing through multiple rooms and puzzles and rescuing monkeys along the way. Some of the tasks required of him were rather difficult with his injured sides, but he did them nonetheless.

In one instance, he had to leap from a small precipice and grab onto some vines on the other side. He winced in pain as he outstretched his left arm to grasp the plant, the feeling of tearing open his slowly healing wound causing him immense pain along with his harsh collision into the side of the ledge.

By the time he had a total of four primates saved from their imprisonment, they beckoned for him to return to the wide open area where the bridge had earlier been destroyed. Upon entering, the monkeys hopped up onto the overhead rope, the only thing left connecting the two sides of this clearing, and called for him to jump.

He looked down, no ground in sight, and felt a small twinge of fear. He overcame it quickly as he leapt from the ridge into the first monkey's hands followed by the next and the next until he reached the other side.

Through the door at the opposite end was where the largest ape, presumably the leader, resided. It was conquered quite effortlessly, and they then discovered that it wasn't a malicious creature at all; it was actually being controlled by an evil insect all along. Realizing that he had harmed an innocent creature made Link's heart ache, but perhaps the strange weapon it had been using would be helpful.

After defeating the superior monkey, Link picked up the boomerang it had left on the ground, and it ended up proving to be quite useful. It helped him reach areas of the temple he otherwise couldn't, and save monkeys that he wouldn't have been able to without it as well.

A couple of days went by of nothing but travelling through the temple and rescuing monkeys. Solving puzzle after puzzle and growing somewhat frustrated with the whole place. He never thought he would grow tired of the sight of trees and foliage, but as the days went on he wanted nothing more than to be in an open clearing, away from any kind of forest.

He had nothing to eat but random berries he could find on shrubs, and he had to drink the stagnant water from the pools that were scattered about the temple. His wounds had healed up slightly but were unable to do so completely due to his constant movement, forcing them back open almost each time.

He had slept only a few times since being in this wretched place, and it wasn't as if he could really get a well-rested sleep anyway. He was tired and growing sick of the smell of trees. Midna, though, was always impatient and barking at him to hurry up.

After what felt like an eternity, all of the monkeys were rescued. He returned the final primate to the huge, dark room where they all dwelt, waiting for him and the last of their kind to come back. They hopped onto a rope above the wide, open chasm that connected one end to the other.

Previously, he had to leap from one monkey to the next to make it across, however, this time the creatures held onto each other's feet, making an extremely long rope and gestured for him to grab onto the bottom as they began swinging.

Honestly, it was frightening to him. It was a very long swing and if he fell it would be into an endless abyss, and it would surely be his demise. Fear was not something he ever thought on too long, though, and as the chain of monkeys made its way back to him, he jumped as high as his feet could take him and grabbed for the chimp's little hands.

As his arms stretched to their full extent above his head, pain shot throughout his sides instantly. It felt as if the damage was being inflicted all over again. He yelped at the sudden aching and instinctively took his left hand down to the wound, which began bleeding again. The monkey that had a clutch on his hands screeched at him as he let go, leaving only his one arm to hold onto.

"What are you doing!" he could vaguely hear Midna yell at him.

He looked back up at the monkey, yelling at him just as Midna was. Just as he was about to lose his grip, he mustered the strength to pull his other arm back up and the primate grabbed on instantly. He had no idea how many times they had swung back and forth in that short time, but as they made their way back to the opposite side the monkeys let go and he rolled to safety.

As soon as he was firmly on the ground, Midna came back into the light to lecture him some more, "What were you doing back there! Do you think this is a game? You could have d-"

"Midna," he mumbled quietly, still resting on the floor trying to catch his breath, "Please," he raised a gloved hand in her direction as if gesturing for her not to give him such a hard time.

She rolled her eyes, "Well, excuse me for wanting you to _live_! It's not my fault if you do something stupid and get yourself killed."

Link glanced up at her and sighed, but said not a word. He got to his feet gradually and began heading towards the large door at the end of the room. He placed the big key he had found while exploring the temple into the lock and opened the door with a hefty push.

After only a couple of steps into the large room, the door slammed shut behind him with a loud bang. He whirled around to see that it was locked. He then exhaled slowly to calm himself as he turned back around to examine the room as he quietly stepped forward. The area was huge, but most of it was filled with what appeared to be poisoned water – the stench was revolting.

All was quiet for some time, until bubbles began forming on the surface of the water in two separate locations. Link drew his sword, readying himself for whatever was about to strike. What then emerged from the water appeared to be two giant deku babas. He noticed the small, bomb-like bugs strewn about the arena, and instantly knew what to do.

In one of the puzzles he had to figure out in one of the previous rooms, he had to use the boomerang to grab hold of the explosive insect and then target what needed to be blown up. That was exactly what he did in this instance. Both of the babas stupidly swallowed the bombs and perished.

"Well, that sure was easy," Midna scoffed.

Link furrowed his brow and stepped forward, his blade still at the ready as he observed the waters carefully. That couldn't be it; he just knew it couldn't. He could still feel the malevolence in the room as thick as the fog in the air.

"What? It's dead! Let's just get the fused shadow and get out of-," she was interrupted at the sudden sound of splashing water at her side.

A gigantic monster, similar to that of the large deku babas, rose from the depths. It came within close range of Link and let out a loud roar, hoping to instill fear in the young hero. Its saliva splatted against his shield grotesquely, but he was unaffected.

At first, there seemed to be no end to the battle. He tried using the boomerang, but it did no damage as the bomb insects had retreated back into their holes in fear. The two smaller deku baba heads would take turns slamming down on the ground in an attempt to squish him, but he rolled to the side or back flipped in order to dodge it.

The pain in his sides ached tremendously with each movement; he wasn't used to feeling such discomfort and not being able to do anything about it. He supposed now was as good a time as any to start familiarizing himself with how to ignore the pain.

When all seemed pointless as there was no way of inflicting damage, the monkey that was once thought to be evil made his appearance and brought with him an exploding bug to help the hero. He couldn't help but smirk at the sight.

He readied his boomerang, aimed for the bomb and then targeted the face of the beast. The hit was successful, and it came crashing down to Link's level where he slashed at it mercilessly.

As it recovered its composure, it became infuriated. It began spewing purple bile at him rapidly and he had to run at full speed just to nearly miss the stream of scorching liquid. When he finally regained the opportunity, he performed the same tactic he had previously. Unable to withstand any more strikes, the mutant plant finally met its demise.

Its death was quick and easy; it dried up and wilted, just as a dead plant should.

Link sighed and wiped his brow of sweat, sheathing his sword as he did so. He looked up and saw an ominous black object floating down to him just as Midna revealed herself. She went on to explain that it was a piece of the dreaded fused shadow, what she had been searching for, and what the light spirit had referred to as 'dark power.' She took it into her possession and told him that there were still two more to obtain.

"Well, ready to go?" she asked as she created a portal to the exit.

He looked down at his boots, and then back up at her before saying, "So, were you lying to me?"

She raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"You said my friends would be here and they're not. Did you say that just to get me to do what you wanted?" he questioned, staring at her with all the seriousness in the world. There wasn't anger in his tone, there wasn't bitterness, there was simply sternness.

Midna averted his gaze for a moment, "So what if I did? You _need_ me. What are you gonna do about it?" she responded bluntly, placing her hands on her hips.

Link sighed as his gaze fell to that of the ground once again.

It was silent for a moment until he spoke up, "Don't lie to me. I'm going to help you, just… don't lie to me."

The imp looked him over confusedly. Nearly everyone returned her coldness with more of just such, but he mostly accepted it.

She thought for a moment before rolling her eyes, "I'll think about it," she replied.

He nodded, as if that was a response he deserved.

He grabbed at his sides again as he grimaced in pain. He started heading towards the now-clear and actually rather beautiful body of water as he said, "I need to rest… please," and he sat down at the water's edge.

Midna sighed, "Make it quick."

* * *

_**One with courage can often be misconstrued as foolish.**_


	10. Toiling in Obscurity

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 2/8/13 – Polished, added narrative._

_This chapter was revised as of 5/12/13 – Minor errors and typos fixed._

_This chapter was revised as of 12/15/13 – Polished, enhanced by readers' criticisms._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 10: Toiling in Obscurity

**.:.**

After finally allowing his body to take a break, he actually healed rather quickly. He had been lucky; his wounds did not seem to catch any sort of infection and therefore closed up of their own accord.

The simple fact of being free from that temple was a huge weight from his shoulders. Breathing the open air of the place he grew up was beyond relieving.

As they were brought back to the spirit's spring in Faron Woods, the light spirit informed him that Hyrule was still far from being saved from the spread of twilight. However, there was a glimmer of hope as the spirit told him that he would find those he sought to the west, the land protected by the spirit called Eldin.

Although, it seemed with any good news came more of just the opposite. Going to the west to save his loved ones also meant reentering the twilight realm and retaking the form of the sacred beast – needless to say he was not exactly looking forward to the transformation again.

Midna, on the other hand, seemed very excited to trek on. Well, of course, he thought; she didn't have to do much of anything, and the only thing she cared about was getting her treasure. He didn't mind, though, as long as he found his friends and got them out of harm's way. She told him she would take good care of him when he transformed back into a wolf, whatever that was supposed to mean. It wasn't as if she was _actually_ going to care for him - more like carelessly push him too hard.

Either her perception of things was skewed, or she simply got pleasure in being rude and sarcastic. Link assumed the latter.

He began heading south, merely wanting to check in with his friends and neighbors and make sure that everyone was doing alright, but Midna wouldn't allow him. Well, it wasn't as if she physically _stopped_ him, but she came up with some endless drabble about how if he took any extra time for unnecessary things that his friends could die in the twilight. He nodded, taking her words seriously as he turned around and headed north toward a place he hadn't seen in years.

Hyrule Field… when was the last time he was here? Probably the day his parents died. He halted as he came into the vast, open expanse of land.

"What are you waiting for? The light spirit said to go west, are you so stupid that you don't know which way that is?" the imp belittled him, growing quickly impatient with his lack of haste as she always did.

He stood still for a moment and closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath and releasing it slowly. He remembered that day as if it was yesterday, and yet, at the same time, he had forgotten certain details. He didn't have time to contemplate it, though, as Midna continued pestering him to move on and he did just that.

He didn't understand why she had to yank him so ruthlessly through the curtain of twilight. Sure, she was always uncaring and callous, but she could at least bring him through with the _slightest_ bit of care.

The transformation was almost as painful as it was the first time. He could feel his muscles contorting as his body took on another form. After what felt like ages of hurting, he was back to being a four-legged creature. He was back to being unable to speak, back to being invisible to the humans that were stuck in the twilight, back to having a cruel imp kicking his sides every moment, and back to knowing nothing but the darkness around him.

He didn't like the feeling of being the sacred beast, even if it _was_ supposed to be some divine blessing. Sure, there were some advantages such as the heightened senses, but he didn't care. All he could do was count the minutes until he would regain his natural self.

As they travelled down the path, he saw something on the ground that caught his feral eye. After examining it, he could tell it was a wooden sword. He sniffed it, his canine senses instantly smelling that of the children – it was Talo's play weapon.

That was all it took; that single whiff to him was like bait to a fish or pollen to a bee. He took off down the dirt path as quickly as his paws could take him, eager to find those he was tracking.

Up ahead were three large shadow beasts, but Link didn't care, his sharp teeth dug into the throat of each of them in turn swiftly. Midna then mentioned to him that every time he brought a group of these beasts to an end that they would leave behind a portal in which they could later use to travel more quickly around the vast land of Hyrule.

They came to a clearing where a bridge was supposed to be, but it was open to the chasm below. He vaguely remembered seeing a misplaced wooden structure back in Faron Woods out of the corner of his eye as they were heading to the Forest Temple – he could only pray that it was the missing bridge.

It was as if Midna could tell where he wanted to go look for the missing architecture, and they warped there using the otherworldly portal. Sure enough, the bridge was there, propped up on the cliff face as if it was nothing more than a toy that was discarded there by a child. Link didn't understand: why was the bridge moved, and who in all of Hyrule could have moved it?

Knowing he wasn't going to get the answers he desired, he pressed on. They teleported back to where the bridge belonged, making it so they were then able to pass, and he continued on the trail of the scent of the lost children. They soon came to a locked gate blocking their path, but Midna suggested he dig underneath, and that's just what he did.

After emerging on the other side, they soon found themselves in a run-down, dusty village. He spotted three more of the dark monsters up ahead and the imp helped him dispatch of them quickly.

Noticing the newcomers in the area and instantly recognizing the Chosen Hero, the light spirit spoke up, beckoning him to step into the spring. It told him a similar story that the previous light spirit had – that its light was stolen and it needed to be retrieved from the evil insects that had stolen it.

"But… be careful… The darkness… now hunts you…" its last words chilled Link to the bone.

He turned to face the village, deciding to enter the closest dwelling to him at the moment to begin his search. As he passed by the window, he heard someone cursing under their breath.

"Cripes! How the heck am I supposed to babysit someone else's little brats when I oughta be savin' myself?"

He couldn't be talking about who he thought… could he? As a matter of fact, he _could_ – the scent of them was very strong here.

Excitement burst in Link's chest as he realized he was so close to them, so close to making sure they were safe. Midna pointed out a spot on the side of the home where he could jump onto the roof and get inside. As he fell through the ceiling, he immediately spotted several orbs. He concentrated on honing his senses and instantly he knew who he was looking at.

It was the children! He saw Malo, Beth, and Talo sitting next to someone he didn't recognize, and then Colin… where was Ilia?

A rather strange looking man with reddish colored hair and tiny glasses at the window noted that the '_black brutes_' were no longer outside. He also stated that they were probably just hiding in wait to eat their prey, most likely them. The children were obviously scared at his statement and an older looking man sitting in between Beth and Talo tried his best to calm them with his words. The peculiar man continued on, despite the children's fears.

He went on to tell a story of how a lady from the general store was attacked by one of the beasts and a group of people from town went to help her, only to find that the woman was gone and there were now two beasts instead of one. He was about to mention that that obviously meant if they were attacked they would be turned into monsters too, but the seemingly kind man of the two barked at him to stop.

Beth began crying in fear; he hated to see any of the children weep. As he listened, he gathered that the pot-bellied man was called Barnes, and the composed, gentle man was Renado.

Renado wore a calm expression – whether it was because he was actually feeling calm or if he was only putting on a front for the young ones was unclear to Link, but he appreciated it either way. Even though he was seated, he could tell that he was a tall man. He had long, black hair and chocolate colored eyes. His thick lips were downcast in a frown as he began speaking of a cellar that opened when all of the candles in this room were lit. As Barnes began frenziedly attempting to set them all ablaze, a young girl he inferred to be Renado's daughter (due to how similar the two looked) said that there were evil creatures down there as well.

Beth continued sobbing, and Colin, in his kind-hearted nature, was trying his best to console her, "Don't cry, Beth! It'll be okay!"

She coldly shrugged away his touch, but he continued nonetheless, "Link is coming to save us all!"

Everyone seemed to look at him in disbelief. Did the children, other than Colin, truly have so little faith in him?

"…I can feel it!"

Talo simply scoffed and looked away.

It was like a wrench in Link's heart to think that only one of the children believed he was coming to save them. Had he not always been their protector? Had he not always saved them in times of need? He didn't care for recognition; he simply wanted the children to have faith in him, to have hope to hold on to when times were dire. If only he could speak with them right now, if only he could let them know that he was here with them and doing everything in his power to save them.

"How sad," the imp on his back began in a sarcastic tone, "to be right in front of someone and not be noticed at all…" she laughed, "You are chosen by the gods, and only that keeps you from turning into a spirit, or worse, into a dark monster, when you enter twilight. And no one knows what you have done. You may be doomed to toil in obscurity forever…"

Link sighed. Why did Midna make it her one mission in life to make him feel worse about his current situation? Even though her statements were mostly valid, it was like a punch in the stomach to hear them aloud.

He proceeded on, not dwelling on things he wished he could change. He found the bugs in the cellar and collected the spirit's lost tears. He found one in the graveyard, and several more were in the decrepit buildings back in the village. There was one structure, however, that was perhaps a bit _too _decrepit. Some of the bugs hid in the fireplace of this building, so Link lit a fire in it to shoo the bugs out as he had done with some of the previous insects in the Elde Inn. However, as the fireplace was set ablaze, soon was the rest of the dwelling as well.

"What did you do! Sorry, but as romantic as this is, I'm not going to stay here with you. I'm getting out!" Midna shouted as she wasted no time in using her magical means to escape.

Link huffed, how selfish this imp was! He quickly retreated back to the hole in which he used to enter this cursed place, but it was quickly burning as well. Large planks of smoldering wood plummeted to the ground in front of his only exit. He took his snout and pushed the timber out of his way, slightly burning his muzzle in the process, but he paid it no mind. With his pathway clear and his surroundings quickly caving in on him, he hastily made his departure.

Goddesses, it was the bomb shop, no wonder it had caught fire so easily, he thought. As he ran out, the already dilapidated building exploded, the impeding blast sending Link a few feet through the air. He landed with a harsh thump on the dusty terrain as Midna hovered over to him.

"Maybe you aren't so stupid after all!" she chimed, retaking her place on his back, as if she was happy to have destroyed someone's home in order to hunt the insects. Truthfully, it no longer surprised him.

They continued through the village and up the path to the mountain. At the top of a straight-drop ledge at the beginning of the mountain trail, he saw the spirit of a creature he had never seen before. He had heard stories of them from Rusl and Bo, but never had he seen one with his own eyes. That is, if he was correct in his assumption that these creatures were Gorons.

The trail was winding and filled with spewing geysers that he swiftly dodged. He came across a stone that made an interesting tune, and he instantly remembered what that skeletal ghost had told him before about '_statues that howl with the sound of the wind_.'

His lupine ears perked up, listening intently to the melody that flowed through the boulder. It was as if he had heard it before, or perhaps it was just his ancestor trying to remind him of his all-important lineage.

Whatever it was, he recognized the tune and howled it with all his might. In an instant, he was in a strange, otherworldly place. There were familiar landmarks, but he was high above them and from here they appeared to be nothing more than children's play things. He spotted the golden wolf from before perched high on a ledge opposite him. It gestured for him to sing the tune, and as he began, the other canine howled it right along with him.

"Let teachings of old pass to you," it spoke, "Take sword in hand and find me."

He would do just that, gladly. He was keen on meeting with the ancient spirit once more.

Midna nagged at him for passing out yet again, but he shrugged off her words, eager to keep finding more of the evil insects and free the children from spirit forms.

The more he continued up the mountain, the more beasts he came across. Three more shadow beasts; he almost had to laugh at how monotonous fighting these creatures had become, it was almost too easy to defeat them. He remembered the first time he fought them, their ear-piercing screech doing just that - paralyzing him to the core and halting any movement whatsoever. He never knew that a mere _sound _could cause pain, but it had done just that.

Now, though, dispatching of them came rather effortlessly.

After finding the last of the insects, the light was restored and they went back to speak with the spirit of the spring. He found himself standing in the shallow waters as he looked down at himself. He let out a sigh of relief as he discovered he was back in his normal form. It felt so good to be back in his own body, and it felt even better to have this place back to the way it should be – filled with light.

As the spirit revealed itself, Link had to shield his eyes from the bright light that emanated from the top of the waterfall. It extended its great wings, showing itself to take the form of a large bird. It introduced itself as Eldin, and went on to explain that the dark power resided in the sacred grounds of the mountain dwellers; he assumed that meant the Gorons.

Link looked in the direction of the lands that Eldin spoke of, telling him that they were, in fact, already seeded with evil. He looked back as he was told that he must cleanse those lands just before the spirit folded its wings to cover itself and it disappeared from sight.

So, he had no choice? He didn't mind helping people, actually quite the contrary; he _lived_ to help people when they needed it. The only thing he didn't like in this situation was that he was constantly being told he had no choice.

He felt like nothing more than a tool, a pawn on the chess board that the Goddesses daily played. He felt as if he no longer had any control over his life or what he did with it - he didn't like that feeling at all.

He turned around and slowly headed back to the village, almost oblivious to all around him as he was lost in thought of his new task. That was, until a voice calling his name caught his attention.

"Link?"

He'd recognize that small, timid voice from anywhere. He turned and saw Colin standing outside that same house he had seen them in previously, and rather far behind him, trying to remain hidden, were Beth and Talo.

Realizing it truly was their hero, the two from behind began running towards him, carelessly knocking down Colin in the process. They all, in turn, ran up to him excitedly and told him about what had happened. He was so happy to see them and even more so to see that they were all safe.

Although, it was bittersweet – sweet in the fact that he had finally found the children, but bitter in the fact that Ilia was nowhere to be found. He was so worried for her; he didn't know what to do.

Renado and a little girl also approached him. Renado introduced himself and the little girl, Luda, as his daughter. He couldn't very well tell the man that he already knew his name, that he had heard it mentioned during the twilight, because not only would he appear to be insane, but no one would even believe him.

"Um… Link?" Colin spoke up, "What are you wearing?" he inquired as all the other children noticed that he had on something unusual as well.

Link looked down at himself, then back up at the children and he gave them the same response he had given everyone else that had asked by now, "Uh… how about I explain it another time?"

The young ones groaned, expecting an exciting story.

"Well, seems your new clothes came with some holes… looks cheap," Malo mumbled in his usual manner.

Link cursed the small child inwardly; he would have rather not had attention drawn to his injuries - he didn't want anyone to worry about him.

"Link!" Beth cried, "Are you hurt?" she asked, noticing that they were more than just holes in his tunic but that they were tinged with crimson.

"I should have a look at that, Link. Those wounds could be bad if left untreated," Renado offered.

Link shook his head, "I'm fine, everyone, really. They don't hurt anymore."

Renado sighed, "If you are sure."

"I am."

After changing the subject, the shaman stated that Link needed to take the children back to Ordon in fear that harm might come to them, but the children wanted none of that. They all turned to Link and pouted, hoping he would argue the statement with the older man.

The children begged and pleaded him not to take them home, but he knew it would be best for their safety. However, he wanted to check on the mines first and see if he could quickly stop whatever evil was plaguing it before heading back home.

"I'll be back!" he shouted back to the group as he headed towards the trail that led up the mountain.

"You are not truly going to the mines!" he could hear the shaman half-ask, half-shout to him from behind, but he continued forward.

He travelled up the path until he came to a high ledge where he ascended it by climbing the mesh rope and broken pieces of ladders that covered it. At the top he was greeted by an angry Goron who barked at him that no humans were allowed to pass. The Goron curled up into a ball and began rolling towards Link at a fast pace.

This reminded him of when he used to subdue the berserk goats back home. He planted his feet firmly into the dirt, outstretched his arms, and waited for the creature to get close. When it came into range, he grasped it and found that it was much heavier and much stronger than he anticipated. The Goron continued rolling until it completely shoved Link off the side of the cliff.

He fell quickly and collided painfully with the ground. He remained on the dirt covered earth as the powerful creature shouted its taunt and left. He had the wind severely knocked out of him, but after a few minutes he was alright, and he got to his feet just before heading back to the village with a defeated huff.

On his way back he ran into Renado who informed him that it was impossible for any normal person to get through to the Gorons, for they recognized only strength.

What he told him next, though, surprised him. The shaman said he should inquire Mayor Bo from his home about how to earn the trust of the mountain dwellers. The last thing Renado asked of him was that he let the parents back in Ordon know that their children were safe. He nodded; of course he would do that.

As Link started down the trail to head back home, a familiar sound reached his long ears. He heard rapid hoof beats and a distressed whinny coming quickly in his direction – he would recognize that neigh from miles away.

He turned around and saw Epona charging toward him frantically. He thought she would calm at the sight him, so he stood his ground; but he was wrong.

She continued her charge, inches away from trampling her master, but he dove and rolled out of the way just in time. He looked back at her, utter shock on his features; what had they done to his beloved mare to make her so frazzled that she couldn't even recognize him?

Just as she was rearing up, he spotted his opportunity. He leapt up from behind and landed in the saddle, trying to grab hold of the reins and calm her, but to no avail. She reared up again, causing him to lose his balance and nearly fall from her back. He quickly grabbed onto the sides of the saddle with his hands, the rest of his body bouncing uncomfortably behind as she picked up running again.

In a frenzy, she ran rampant all through the town, and it took all he had in him to avoid flying off her back. He had practically grown up with this horse, though, so he knew what it took to calm her when she lost her senses. He held on with all his might until he was finally able to seize her. Once she was composed, he rested his head on her neck for a moment, gently petting her mane – the feeling of having her back was indescribable. He had no idea what he would have done if he had lost her indefinitely.

"Link!" Colin yelled, emerging from the shaman's home, "You found Epona!"

The little blond boy ran up to him excitedly with a broad grin plastered on his young features.

Link chuckled, "More like she found me," he smiled, petting her again.

They were silent for a moment until Colin spoke up again, "Are you leaving, Link?"

He nodded, "Yes, but I'll be back very soon."

"Where are you going?"

He thought for a moment, he didn't want to tell him about Bo and the Gorons, "Home, to let your parents know you're safe."

"Oh! Can I come?" he asked eagerly.

"I'm afraid not. It's a dangerous road back to Ordon," he replied, but Colin didn't seem very pleased with that answer. He hung his head, obviously feeling out of place and missing his home and family – he couldn't blame him.

Link thought for a moment before continuing, "Besides, I need you here."

Colin's head perked up, "You do? What for?"

"I need you to protect everyone here while I'm gone. Do you think you can do that?"

He seemed unsure at first, "I don't know, Link… I'm not brave like you…"

Link dismounted his steed and got down to Colin's level, "You? Not brave?" he laughed slightly, "Of course you are."

"You really think so?" he asked excitedly.

He nodded honestly, "I do, that's why I gave you such an important job," his hero said with a genuine smile.

The young boy's face lit up, "Okay! I'll do it! I wanna be just like you, so… you can count on me!" he grinned so wide his cheeks must have hurt.

Link chuckled happily as he stood up, "I know I can."

He ruffled the boy's hair and remounted Epona before saying one last thing, "Be safe, I'll be back before you know it."

* * *

_**To be thought of as less than you are.**_


	11. Forever Their Protector

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 2/8/13 – Polished, added narrative._

_This chapter was revised as of 5/12/13 – Minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 11: Forever Their Protector

**.:.**

The journey back to Ordon had taken the entire day, the moon beginning its ascent in the sky as he arrived in his hometown.

He had veered off to the left before heading into the village to let Epona drink from the spring. He dismounted, allowing her to take a break from his weight as she lowered her head and took in the much needed hydration. Link knelt down as well, filling his palms to the brim with the healing waters and splashing it onto his face. The liquid cooled his skin considerably, the breeze helping with that even more so; it was rejuvenating.

However, something had suddenly caught his eye to the right of him. He ignored it at first, thinking it might be a wild animal, and he knew from experience that with some of the larger predators of the forest it was best not to look at them.

There was something strange about this, though; it had a beautiful glow about it. He turned his head to look at what it was and what was there both shocked and excited him – it was the golden wolf.

He stood and approached it, unsheathing his sword as it prepared to lunge.

Everything had happened the same in this instance as it had previously; although this time he was taught a new skill. He was happy to meet with the ghost again, for he had an inexplicable connection to it, but he couldn't understand what exactly that was. He was quickly taught the move the creature called the shield attack, and it soon after made its departure.

He decided to rest in his home for the night where he could also eat a decent meal – something he hadn't had in over a week. Midna complained and whined, but he pointed out that it was the middle of the night, and Bo had been sleeping anyway, so they couldn't very well seek his guidance while he wasn't conscious. She huffed, but she knew he was right, so she took the much needed rest as well.

As soon as the sun was up, so were they. He mounted Epona and headed into the village where the mayor noticed him immediately and called out to him, bringing him into his home.

Link let him know that the children were safe, but he couldn't bring about the words to tell him that he had yet to find his daughter. He knew it though; by the way Link looked down and away from him at the question. The mayor's sadness could be felt in the air like a thick fog, and Link felt horrible about it. He wished he could tell Bo that his daughter was safe; he wished he could say that she was back in Kakariko with the rest of the children, but he knew he couldn't.

It broke his heart to think that Ilia could still be suffering somewhere, or worse. It made him upset, anxious, but mostly _angry_.

The subject was quickly changed as he asked the mayor about the Gorons and how he could help. He brought him into a room in the back of his residence that Link never knew existed, and he had been in this home multiple times during his youth. There was a large ring in the center and various torches were lit. Bo explained that Gorons like to match strength in sumo contests, and that he would like to teach him the ways of the art.

As they donned different clothing for the lesson, Midna couldn't help but drool. Link had removed his tunic and all the garments beneath, save a pair of short, baggy pants with the traditional Ordon style belt around his waist.

Usually the imp was more attracted to the darker skinned Twili from her realm, but the young man's toned body definitely enticed her. His arms were very muscular, his chest was well-toned as was his back, and his skin was evenly tanned from head to toe. Perhaps he sometimes herded goats bare-chested? She had no idea, but it was obvious that he had worked very hard for many years of his life to have built up such a nicely toned physique at such a young age.

Living in his shadow wasn't so bad sometimes, she smirked, enjoying the view. Never, would she _ever_, utter a word of this to him though. She compared it to being like telling your dog you found it handsome, or telling your toy it was looking good – simply absurd in her eyes. She laughed inwardly at the thought.

They proceeded to wrestle, and even though it took a couple of tries to get it down, Link learned extremely quickly and was soon outdoing his teacher. After the short match, the corpulent man relinquished the iron boots, admitting that they were behind how he _truly_ earned the Gorons' trust.

With what he needed out of the way, he took his time in visiting with each villager, letting them know that their children were safe in the hands of Renado, which most of them were acquainted with or had at least heard good things about. Link's heart swelled with joy at bringing relief and contentment to his friends and neighbors, more so to his _family_. Each of them delightfully thanked him with all their hearts and bid him farewell, telling him to be careful before he left.

He remembered one more thing he needed to do before departing from the village, though.

Epona trotted up the trail leading to the ranch, the sight of Fado wandering about instantly reaching Link's vision. Upon seeing his arrival, his old friend shouted to him in an excited greeting. Link couldn't help but smile; he had genuinely missed everyone from his home.

He also made sure to let his dear friend know that the children were safe just before offering to help round up the goats. Fado eagerly accepted and stepped out of the way, watching as the inseparable duo did what they did best.

Link spurred Epona into a quick gallop, performing a sweeping motion back and forth over the field, moving the animals in closer and closer with each pass. He closed his eyes for a moment, simply taking in the smell of air and the warm breeze through his hair. He never thought he would have to savor the feeling of herding the goats; it had always been a daily chore for him, not something he had to miss out on doing.

He shrugged off the bad feelings and quickly finished his task at hand. Fado's jaw dropped as he told Link of how drastically he had beaten his previous record. He had gathered all the goats into the barn in mere seconds – he was slightly surprised himself.

He told his friend his goodbyes one last time before finally exiting the calm village.

As he came into the open clearing that was Hyrule Field, something felt off. There was a stench in the air, and it was entirely too quiet. None of the mindless creatures were roaming the plains as they usually did – it was lifeless. That was, until he moved forward a bit more when more of the field came into view.

Up ahead, he met the gaze of a green demon. He would recognize those eyes anywhere. They were red and filled with no emotion whatsoever; they were an empty void of crimson, almost as if he had no being and was nothing more than an empty shell. Link froze, Epona doing the same as Midna popped out of the shadows to lecture him.

"What's the hold up?"

His face became like stone, his stare locked with that of the beast, and there was an indomitable will about him as he replied sternly, "_That_."

The imp turned to look at what he gestured to and what she saw was a large, grotesque creature atop a massive boar.

She looked back at him, "So what? Either leave it alone or kill it. Just get a move on!"

All was silent. Link hadn't even blinked; he was reliving that day over and over again in his mind. The hideous, green monster with which his gaze was locked was the reason for his lost childhood, the reason he grew up without a family, the reason he had no parents.

He was staring at his mother and father's murderer.

"I'm going to kill it," he declared, his voice low and holding all the seriousness in the world.

Midna was slightly shocked; she had yet to hear him speak with such anger, and she had noticed by now that he refrained from killing most things unless they were the ones starting the fight and the only solution was to end lives. To Link, killing was used only as a last resort.

This creature – although hideous and obviously up to no good – had done nothing… that she knew of.

The demon snorted, as if to be taunting him, and then gave him a wide, mostly toothless grin before it spurred its ugly pig in the direction of Kakariko.

Link's jaw dropped, just ever so slightly; was this thing heading to the village on purpose? Did it know where the children were located and that they were some of the only family he had left? It was as if this monster made it its one goal in life to destroy all of Link's loved ones.

'_Why!'_ He screamed in his mind. What had he ever done to this beast?

The young man kicked Epona's sides a bit more harshly than he intended, sending her speeding after the fiend. It had a head start on him, though, for when he spotted the creature it was already a great distance ahead of him - nearly to the bridge. It was quickly out of his sight, but he knew where the ogre was going, he just _knew_ it was after the children.

Midna was confused, but she wouldn't argue with his sudden change in speed. Finally, she thought, he was going at the pace she had wanted him to go at this whole time.

They crossed the short bridge and were in the village just in time to watch the repulsive troll dash away with an unconscious Colin in its grasp. An unwanted image flashed into his mind's eye at that moment; the way it was lifting Colin up in the air was the same way it had lifted his father's corpse. He closed his eyes for a second and shook his head, trying to shake away the memory.

As if Link didn't have a fire burning underneath him already; now the creature had only stoked the flames of his hatred towards it. Now he was even more determined, he was going to bring an end to this miserable being's life, even if it cost him his.

He kicked Epona harder, sending her flying at a breakneck pace after the demons. The hero's mare had never been pushed to run so fast, but she did it well, her hooves kicking up the brown dirt as she went. They sped by so fast that he couldn't even hear the words of the shaman as he called out to Link to hurry. To all others standing by and watching, the duo must have appeared as nothing more than a blur; their shadows even had a hard time keeping up.

Midna had never seen this kind of tenacity in his eyes before – she liked it.

As they emerged in the northern field, the beast had come to a halt, as if waiting for Link to arrive to mock him. He ceased his charge as well, shouting out to the creature, "Give me the boy!"

The monster grinned evilly, "Ha! Come and get 'im, kid!"

It raised a horn, summoning its pesky minions to help it with the battle before it turned around and ran away. Link growled in rage at the creature's spinelessness; he wanted nothing more than to face the beast, not its mindless followers.

They all charged him in a flash, firing arrows imbued with fire and swinging clubs in his direction. He spurred Epona onwards, trying to ignore the senseless drabble and assault the leader of the pack. He came up alongside it, swinging his Ordon sword with all his might. Most of the hits were successful, knocking off some of the ogre's armor in the process. That was, until a club from one of the lesser creatures met his right side.

He slipped from the saddle at the impact, but kept his hold on it as Epona continued her charge. He grunted slightly as he pulled himself back into the seat; the force had hit his still-freshly-healed wounds, but it was nothing he couldn't handle.

He nudged her sides again, urging her next to the beast once more. It only took a few more swings until the rest of its useless armor had fallen off from the contact with Link's blade.

The fiend staggered off onto the nearby bridge of Eldin where Link quickly followed. He could tell it was a trap as both ends of the bridge were barricaded and set to flame, but he didn't mind. He _wanted_ to be confined with this beast; he wanted nothing more than to fight it to the death. It stood confidently at the opposite end, _taunting_ Link with his newly acquired trophy. He gritted his teeth in anger.

"Relinquish him," the young hero began, "or I promise you, you _will_ be sorry."

The massive troll laughed so loud it reverberated off the walls of the chasm below, "And what would you do, boy? Cry me to death?" it chuckled again.

Link strangely smiled, "What do they call you?"

The imp in his shadow thought he had lost his mind, why was he talking to this thing? Just kill it!

"You're lookin' at the king of the Bulblins, boy. Come to pay your respects?"

He shook his head and replied forcefully, "No, I wanted to know the name of the demon that killed my parents. I wanted to know the name of the beast I was about to kill! Just as it killed my family seven years ago!" he screamed, his blade now raised.

Midna's mouth fell agape from the shadows; so much made sense now. He was beginning to make it harder for her to merely use him for her own gain, but she would still do so nonetheless.

King Bulblin snickered, remembering the day in his mind as if he was proud of his accomplishment, "Well then, kid, I'd be happy to destroy the last of the bloodline!"

With that, the king's enormous boar began its stampede. Link noticed this and spurred Epona to do the same. The bridge was long and narrow with nothing on the sides to keep one from falling off. The enemies charged each other head on, and with the first pass Link landed a strike on the brute, causing it to sway on its mount.

They reached the end, turned around, and began again.

They made a pass in which no damage was dealt, but with the third pass, the hog's colossal horn made contact with Link's left side. He groaned loudly as he doubled over, leaning on Epona's neck for a moment. His right hand instinctively went to where he was struck, blood quickly wetting his tunic.

Luckily, the horn had not stabbed into him, but instead it grazed the skin of his already wounded side much like a slice from a sword. He grunted, pushing himself to ignore the pain as he turned his steed around and charged at the monster yet again.

There was another pass with no contact until finally Link's blade collided so harshly with the large Bulblin that it sent him soaring off the bridge into the abyss below.

He halted, taking a moment to revel in the victory as he watched the wretched creature fall to its death. He sighed in relief upon its defeat before turning Epona around to go retrieve Colin.

Having lost its master, the boar didn't fight Link as he used his sword to cut the rope that bound the small boy to the long saddle horn the pig adorned. He grumbled slightly at the discomfort in his side as he reached from atop his mare to grab the child's small frame and bring him into his lap.

By now the flames that were ablaze at either side of the bridge had died down. Deciding to spare the mindless warthog, Link slapped its back harshly, sending it running in the opposite direction of the village as he pressed Epona back toward Kakariko. She galloped back, but not at the intense speed she had previously, knowing full well that her master had taken damage.

"Well, stupid wolf, you went and got yourself hurt again," Midna chastised, suddenly popping into his line of sight.

He closed his eyes momentarily and exhaled, "I had to save him, Midna. You have no idea how important he is to me."

She placed her dainty hands on her cheeks, "Aw, how sweet," she chimed.

He looked over at her, perplexity on his worn features.

The imp scoffed, moving her hands to her hips, "Yeah right. Was he really worth almost losing your life?"

Link didn't hesitate, "Yes."

"Ugh," she rolled her eyes, "Why would the so-called Goddesses choose someone so _stupid_ to be their hero," she mumbled to herself as she swooped back into the shade beneath them.

Back in the village, Talo had taken to the cliff top to watch for their friends' return. It had been at least an hour since they darted out of their sight, and some of them had gone back inside to escape the heat while waiting for the young boy's call of their arrival.

Malo and Luda had gone into the sanctuary while Renado and Beth thought it best to wait it out until they returned. Beth could hardly stop crying; she felt awful for what she had done, or more so, what she _hadn't _done. The shaman had tried his best to console her, but it only helped so much.

"WHOA!" the scream of Talo could be heard by everyone in the village, "Hey everybody! I can see Link and Colin coming back!" he yelled as he ran down the hill as quickly as he could to greet them when they arrived.

Beth's head snapped up, wiping her nose with her forearm as she did so, "Did you hear that Mister Renado?" she asked excitedly.

He looked down at her with a smile, "I did."

Luda and Malo came outside when they heard the call, and soon after that Talo made his way down and joined the others on the dusty path in front of the sanctuary as well. They watched and waited as the sound of distinctive hoof beats filled their ears, and they were finally greeted with the sight of Link holding Colin atop Epona.

The children's faces immediately lit up, their optimistic young minds automatically thinking the best of things. Renado, however, wore a serious expression; he was very aware that something could be wrong with either one of them, or even both of them.

Reaching the sanctuary, Link dismounted his steed, Colin still in his strong arms. He found he was slightly weakened though, and in order to hide it, he knelt down right there, laying the unconscious boy in his lap on the ground. The children quickly ran up to the two on the dirty terrain, barraging Link with questions. They all seemed to inquire at once:

"Is he okay?" Beth asked.

"Is he DEAD?" then came Talo.

"…Did you kill that thing?" Malo murmured.

Renado hushed them and Colin soon came to. His first question was if everyone was okay, and if Beth was angry with him for pushing her. She couldn't help but smile, she had always been cruel to him, and yet he still helped her and wanted to make sure she wasn't upset with him. No, she was upset with herself. She shook her head, relieving him.

He told Link that he finally comprehended what his father meant when he told him he needed to be stronger, that he needed to be more like his hero was. He finally understood that his father wasn't speaking of physical strength, but of strength of the heart and of the spirit. He needed to be braver.

The blond boy asked Link if he had been the one who rescued him, although, he already knew. He had always been there to save him for as long as he had been alive. He couldn't think of a time in which Link wasn't there, wasn't always watching over him and keeping him safe, because there simply wasn't one.

"You… You can do anything," Colin whispered, "You can do something to help the Gorons in the mine too, can't you, Link?"

Link smiled and nodded, and with that, the boy's consciousness slipped away from him.

The children panicked, thinking the worst. Talo, wanting so desperately to help, tried to pick him up, but it was no use. Renado stepped in and lifted his small frame into his arms easily, everyone else rising to their feet as well. However, as he did so, he noticed blood on the boy's white clothing.

Shocked, he asked, "What's this?" gesturing the sight to Link.

Link sighed, remembering his injuries as the pain returned, "Don't worry, it isn't his."

They all fell silent as they turned their attention to the young hero.

"Then, whose?" the shaman inquired.

It all suddenly rushed back to him. Now that Colin was safe, the adrenaline in his body was dissipating and his mind refocused on his wounds. He wavered a bit, resting a hand on Epona's side for support. The young ones were shocked at his sudden loss of balance. With his side turned to them, they could then easily spot the damage.

"Link, you are injured. You must let me dress your wounds," Renado stated calmly.

He thought for a moment, remembering that he needed to go to the mines and shrugged off the shaman's words, "I'll be fine."

Renado handed the boy in his arms to his daughter; she was rather strong for her age and Colin was much littler than her and proved to be very light. He approached Link's unsteady body, "You are losing a good amount of blood, you need to be tended to or you will bleed out."

He didn't want to frighten the children with his words, but he needed Link to know the severity of his situation so he wouldn't run off and expire.

Link exhaled slowly, his vision beginning to blur as he tried, "I'm…"

He trailed off and closed his eyes. Renado saw him falter and knew what was coming next. The hero lost consciousness as he began falling back. If it weren't for the shaman, he would have fallen roughly to the ground, but his steady arms caught him before that could take place.

The children gasped; they thought this couldn't be truly happening. They all followed him and Luda as they took Link and Colin into the rundown inn. Renado told his daughter to place the young boy on the bed in the middle room in the hall as he took the more-needed of the two into the last room.

"Luda," the shaman began just before the two separated to different corridors, "Get a cool cloth and dab it on Colin's forehead. That should be all he needs, along with rest," he instructed, knowing his daughter would do just fine with the responsibility. She had long watched and helped her father care for patients, and she knew many of the simpler techniques used. In this case, a mere cloth was all that was needed, and she could very well handle that by herself.

Having his daughter occupied watching over Colin just in case anything should go wrong, Renado asked if Beth would help him tend to Link. She agreed, Talo begging if he could do so as well. The older man argued at first, wanting to have as few people in the room as possible, but then he thought that the child's presence might help Link recover more quickly; he knew that they all were very important to him.

Malo decided to stay behind in his newly acquired shop, though, never caring much for gatherings that didn't revolve around him or his efforts – he was sure both Link and Colin were going to be fine anyway, so why would he need to be there?

Renado placed the young man's unconscious form on the small bed in the center of the room, Beth and Talo immediately going to his side. The shaman picked up Link's upper half and supported it so he was in a seated position as he asked, "Beth, Talo, help me by removing his effects please."

They obliged, needing some words of guidance along the way as they were unsure of how exactly to unfasten a few of the buckles. They took off his boots, his sword, his shield, his cap, his gloves along with his bracer, and then the pack on his waist. With the unpleasant movement near his sides, Link began fluttering his eyes open slowly.

"Ah, Link, you have come to. Do you have the strength to remove your tunic, or do you need assistance?" the shaman questioned.

He shook his head weakly, "I can do it," as he began doing just that.

He grimaced slightly at the motion but in time he managed to remove his green tunic, chainmail, and finally the white undermost shirt. The kids couldn't help but be amazed at how much the young man wore now; he never had this many layers back in Ordon. That shortly became the least of their worries as they laid their eyes on his wounds.

As soon as he was done with removing the top portion of his clothing, Link slowly slinked his upper half back down into the cot. The older man pulled a chair up beside the bed so he could have a seat at Link's left side, where he could easily tell the majority of the damage was dealt.

Renado motioned to Beth, "Would you go into the cabinet and bring its contents to me?" as he began examining the extent of his injuries.

There were three round marks on Link's right side from the puncture wounds that were never healed properly and the same with his left where there were two of the same appearance. Also on his right side was a large, purpling bruise from the small Bulblin that had clubbed him. Lastly was the large slash to his upper left side, nearly reopening the older injuries. It was obvious that he was hurting, but he hid it well for the young ones, the only indication of pain being the worn expression on his face.

Physical pain and excessive bleeding was foreign to him at this point. There had been various smaller injuries he had incurred when herding goats and such back home, but never anything like he had experienced since he learned that he was the hero. He prayed to Farore that he wouldn't have to go through much more of this kind of pain.

Beth returned quickly with the things she had found in the cabinet that the shaman had pointed her to. He took a moment to get the needed tools prepared and he got to work, starting with cleaning the wounds out to prevent infection.

The little girl brought up a chair of her own so she could sit by Link's bed opposite Renado and Talo stood beside her.

"Link," Beth began, "Are you mad at me?" she asked, her voice filled with guilt.

He looked at her through half-lidded eyes as he tried not to grumble at the discomfort of the cleaning process, "No… why would I be?"

She couldn't stop the tears, "It's all my fault you and Colin got hurt! If I had just turned and ran like Talo did… you might have gotten there before Colin even got taken!"

He tried to shake his head, "Don't be silly… that thing was a monster… it would have taken anyone…" he mumbled as he winced at the sting of the alcohol on his open flesh. He normally would have had more comforting words to say, but his head wasn't in the right place at the moment.

Talo stepped in, "Are you going to die?" he asked in his usual manner.

He mustered a chuckle, "No… I'll be alright…"

"Is that a lie?" the persistent boy asked, turning his question to the working shaman.

"No," he stated simply and with a smile, "he is going to be just fine."

* * *

_**No harm will ever come to them, not as long as I live.**_


	12. Burn

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 2/8/13 – Polished, added narrative._

_This chapter was revised as of 5/29/13 – Minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 12: Burn

**.:.**

Colin had come to merely a few hours after the attack, his first words concerning that of Link.

At the time of the young boy's inquiry, the hero had been bed-ridden and remained unconscious. Renado and Luda stayed at his side while the other children went to Colin at the news of his awakening.

Beth had been the one to answer his question, "He's doing better now."

The blond boy looked confused, "'He's doing better'? That means something happened! Is he okay? I need to see him!" he declared as he shot up in bed in a panic.

If something had happened to his hero because of him… he would never be able to forgive himself.

The children exchanged indecisive glances before Beth spoke up again, "Mister Renado said you need to stay in bed though, Colin…"

The boy sighed, never being one to disregard authority or deliberately disobey his elders, "I need to see him. Mister Renado will understand," he stated as he swung his short legs over the side of the bed and slowly dropped his feet to the floor.

He was still slightly woozy and he wavered a bit, but Talo was there to help him. The village children had always made it a daily routine, picking on the timid lad, but the incident with the Bulblins had completely changed all of their opinions about him.

The four Ordonian children made their way to the end of the hall where their hero was located. The door was slightly ajar, so Colin stuck his head inside and peeked in. He saw Link, lying bare-chested and seemingly asleep on the cot while Renado did some work on his left side and Luda tended to his right. The shaman didn't look up from his task, and yet, he spoke to the young ones at the door.

"I do believe my instructions were for Colin to remain in bed," his deep voice sounded.

Colin looked down, fearing punishment as that was usually what came after a stern talking to back home.

The older man glanced at the door with a scarcely visible smirk as he spoke up gently, "Come in quietly, children."

They did just that cautiously, Talo, Malo, and Beth remaining just a few steps into the room as Colin stumbled over to the bedside to have a closer look at his brother-figure. He looked him up and down, worry easily read on his young features.

Renado noticed this and spoke calmly, "Do not fret, child, he merely sleeps."

The boy sighed in silent relief, trying to turn his gaze from his friend's wounds. Truthfully, they appeared to be in much better shape than they were previously – it was a good thing the young boy didn't see them then; he would have nearly had a heart attack.

Luda sat at Link's right side, periodically handing her father whatever he needed when he called for it. The three puncture wounds on that side had already been stitched up, and the young nurse was holding some kind of herb Colin didn't recognize to the massive, purpling bruise that lay on top of them. Renado was busy sealing up the large slash to Link's left side, already having done the same with the two smaller injuries from when the deku baba's teeth had penetrated his flesh.

After a few moments of silence, the older man spoke up again, "It's getting late, children, you all need to go get your rest."

"Aw man! But Colin just got up!" Talo stomped his foot angrily.

"Okay, Mister Renado," Beth obeyed, grabbing Talo's wrist, "Good night!" she called back to those in the room as she dragged the younger boy off against his will.

Malo scoffed and under his breath he mumbled, "Right, sleep. I'm gonna be up all night getting ready for opening day of my shop tomorrow…" and he, too, was off.

The shaman looked up at the small, blond boy opposite him, "You too, Colin."

Colin's gaze met his, "I want to stay by Link… please?" he asked genuinely.

"You need your rest as well, that ordeal today will have your body worn out for some time."

"If I get tired, I'll go to bed. Promise," he persisted.

Renado sighed, taking a moment to think on it, "Alright, then you can take Luda's place," he replied as he noticed his daughter yawning, offering her some much needed sleep.

Colin nodded happily as Luda got up from her seat, gave her father a hug, and left the room. The young boy sat down and watched the older man do his work. The room was silent for quite some time, until the shy lad began to notice that Link was hardly moving or doing much that suggested life at all, and he instantly became worried all over again.

"Mister Renado, is he gonna be okay?" Colin inquired.

The shaman didn't look up, "Of course. Your friend is-"

"My brother," he interjected.

Renado raised his gaze to that of the boy opposite him, "Your _brother_?"

Colin looked down at his hands, seemingly disheartened, "Well… he's not _technically_ my brother… but I've known him my whole life, and he's always been there for me, and… and I wanna be just like him when I grow up! He's… he's my hero."

"Well, that sounds like a real brother to me," the shaman replied as he returned to his work, but he could see Colin grinning out of the corner of his eye. "As I was saying," he started, "Your _brother_ is very strong. He will be just fine in no time at all."

The man's words truly touched his adolescent heart. He had always wished with all his might that Link was his _true_ brother. He knew that nothing could change that no matter how much he wanted it, he simply reveled in the idea of being like his hero when he grew up. The young boy couldn't fight the smile even if he wanted to, same with the sleep that came soon afterward.

The next day, Link awoke only to eat and drink, and he soon fell back asleep. That night, however, a certain imp's patience was wearing thin.

"Wake up!" he could hear the grating voice in his dreams, "You've gotten enough sleep for four people! Now, get up!"

Link opened his eyes slowly, it was the middle of the night and he was alone in the room, save for his shadow, of course. He blinked a few times, removing the sleep from his eyes and taking a moment to fully awaken.

Midna noticed that he was no longer asleep and she swooped down into his line of vision, "Finally!" she barked, "Now we can get going."

Link sighed, knowing he was needed in the mines and that he would get no relief from this imp until his task was complete. Despite the pain from his injuries, the day of rest was much welcomed by the hero. It was then that he remembered what exactly had happened.

He flipped back the thin sheet that covered his body in order to take a look at his freshly dressed wounds. He grimaced as the sight of the gash in his side brought back the memory of the initial pain of the strike. He took a moment to rationally think: should he really be leaving so soon after getting patched up? He didn't want his wounds to reopen – again.

"Midna, I think I need some more time to heal."

The sinister girl laughed hysterically, as if he had said something truly amusing, "Yeah, right. We're leaving. Do I honestly need to keep reminding you that you're my slave? You do as _I_ say!"

Link closed his eyes, wishing that this was just some bad nightmare, but every time he reopened them they met with her single crimson one.

He sighed as he sat up on the stuffy cot. His head was still a little bit fuzzy as he reached his hands up to massage his temples. He removed the covers completely and set his bare feet on the cold wooden floor before standing up the rest of the way. He reached his arms up high in a long, much-needed stretch, grumbling a bit as he did so due to the discomfort at his sides, but it wasn't anything drastic.

Midna huffed, "Can we go now? You take forever on the simplest things. Just get dressed and let's get going to those mines! You know the longer you take, the more danger you put that _stupid_ girl i-"

"Don't," he cut her off, turning to meet her gaze, "call her that."

She scoffed, "Whatever, let's just go."

Link remained locked on her one, glowing eye until it was out of his sight in his shadow. He found his clothing and accessories on a nearby table and approached them. They had been washed and sewn up; how they got the blood out of his tunic, he had no idea, but he was grateful.

He felt bad for leaving in the middle of the night, but Hyrule needed him. He pulled on his ivory shirt, followed by his chainmail, and then the hero's tunic. He still felt odd about wearing it. Was it honestly worn by the ancient hero, or was it simply remade to look similar? He didn't know, and he didn't really want to dwell on the thought of wearing a dead man's clothing, even if it was that of someone as legendary as the Hero of Time.

He proceeded to reattach the pouch to his waist as he thought about how this item perplexed him as well. It was magical, without a doubt; he could fit any size and any weight object into it, yet it would not bulge or grow heavy. It was amazing, strange, yet very handy at the same time.

He sat on the bed as he put on his boots, his gloves and bracer, followed by his sword, his shield, and lastly, his green cap. Link sighed as he squirmed a bit, readjusting into the still-unfamiliar clothes just before heading out of the small room and down the hallway when he heard a quiet voice behind him.

"Link?" a whisper reached his Hylian ears as he whirled around and was greeted with the small form of Colin standing in the doorway he had just passed by.

The young boy rubbed the sleep from his eyes, making sure this wasn't a dream as he said, "Are you all better? Where are you going?"

Link walked up to him in order to keep his voice low so as to not awaken the others, "Yeah, I'm all better. I'm going to help the Gorons in the mine, can you watch over everyone here for me?"

Colin sighed, "I tried… last time you told me, I tried… but I didn't do so good," he hung his head as if in shame.

The hero knelt down so his eyes would be level with that of the boy's as he placed his hands on his small shoulders, "Colin, you were very brave. You saved Beth's life."

The youth looked up, bewildered, "Her _life_?"

"Yeah," Link smiled, "If you weren't there to push her out of the way, that monster would have gotten her, and who knows what would have happened."

Colin nodded, satisfied.

"I'm very proud of you for protecting everyone while I was gone, that's why I'm hoping you can help me with that again."

The blond boy grinned, "I'll try my best."

Link couldn't help but smile as he rose to his feet and ruffled the child's hair, "I'll be back as soon as I can. Now, go get some sleep," he stated as his younger brother did just that.

The trek up the mountain was monotonous, to say the least.

He had to strap on the iron boots in order to take down a Goron, then he had to take off the heavy shoes in order to continue up the mountain. But every single time, another rampaging rock creature would come rolling down the hill, forcing Link to repeat the same process over and over again. Not only that, but after making it so far, flaming boulders began erupting from the volcano in intervals, always seeming to plummet to the ground near the hero.

For the first time, Midna had actually done something helpful. She had been the one to suggest buying a new, metal shield before heading to the fiery mountain considering he previously held a wooden one.

As Link made his way into the heavily Goron-inhabited part of the mountain, he noticed a great, looming shadow on the ground, coming from above him. He looked skyward, and what he saw was none other than a massive boulder headed straight for him. He picked up the pace and just as the colossal rock was about to crush him, he performed a swift roll, just barely saving himself.

He took a brief moment to catch his breath as he looked back at what nearly squished him before continuing his ascent.

Truthfully, Link was confused. He had heard numerous stories about the mountain-dwelling tribe and none made them sound hostile. He had always been told that the Gorons were calm, gentle creatures, and yet, here they were, lunging at him in attack. The hero didn't want to fight or harm them, so he merely bounced his sword off of them, sending them into a defensive ball. Paying close attention to how the rock people got around themselves, he adopted their methods, using the balled-up Gorons' backs to launch himself one step at a time up the mountain.

Slowly, but surely, he made his way to the peak of the volcano where he had to prove himself in a sumo match against the Goron elder, Gor Coron. Being unable to put the iron boots on in front of the crowd of irritated behemoths, he proceeded with the match without them.

Nonetheless, he still fought to the best of his abilities, but he only lasted mere seconds before he was harshly shoved from the ring. He landed on the floor with a loud thud, sighing as the air escaped his lungs in an instant. He took a moment before getting to his feet and the Gorons all but laughed in his face. That was alright though, because he would be back in just a moment and he knew he would win the competition then.

He told the elder he needed a minute to regain his composure, when really he merely stepped out of their sight, slipped on the heavy boots, and reentered the arena. The shoes were far from quiet, so he did his best to walk as slowly and as noiselessly as he possibly could, and he hoped the Gorons wouldn't notice.

The match lasted several minutes and it was filled with slaps, grabs, ducks, and dodges, but eventually it ended with Link the victor. In that instant, the Gorons' trust was his, and Gor Coron relayed some information to him about the tribe's patriarch named Darbus.

He explained that the Gorons had been trusted with a treasure by the spirits, and when Darbus reached out to touch said treasure, something went terribly wrong, and the patriarch was turned into an unspeakable monster. So, with what strength they had left, the Gorons sealed their possessed leader deep inside the mountain where he could not harm anyone. It was then that Link was quested with going to the aid of this 'Darbus.' The young hero, of course, agreed – he never was and never could be the type of person to turn down anyone in need.

Heat.

For Din's sake, the _heat_ was so overwhelming.

Link covered his face with his forearm as he descended the small hill at the entrance to the volcano, shielding his eyes from the floating particles that came off of the magma. It wasn't as if he expected it to be anything other than hot in here, but there simply weren't words for just how _hot_ it truly was.

Waterfalls of lava cascaded down into a pool of more of just such, while geysers of the molten flame spewed out from said pool at unsystematic intervals, creating a not so inviting welcome. Random pieces of rock were strewn about the lake of magma, and metal pipes adorned the walls and floors beyond it.

The Goron Mines. How could anyone truly mine here? He couldn't help but wonder. Sure, they were rock creatures, so perhaps the lava wasn't so threatening to them, but was this honestly their idea of a calming and soothing atmosphere?

"Just so you know," that pesky voice spoke up, "Staring at the lava isn't going to make it disappear. I would suggest getting across!"

Her sarcastic and blunt remarks were beginning to become routine and the hero had basically grown accustomed to them. Heeding her words without so much as a verbal response, he took a moment to prepare himself. He approached the edge of the main stretch of land and cautiously looked down.

The roaring pit of flowing magma was absolutely terrifying. Link knew that if he took one wrong step, if he made one single mistake or just barely missed the jump, he was a goner. It wouldn't be a quick, painless death either, he was sure. He couldn't imagine the sheer agonizing expiry that would follow landing in a pool of lava, and he didn't want to.

He inhaled through his nose, his eyes closed as he assured himself that he would be alright, that the Goddesses were watching over him – surely they wouldn't let their hero die in such a way… right?

When he realized he was as ready as he was ever going to be, he knew he needed to just do it and get it over with. He took in a deep breath and leapt to a bit of rock in the middle of the flowing magma. He turned to his left, finding a geyser spewing from the pool and waited for the right time before making the next leap. He went over a narrow strip of rock before coming to the final jump with a rather wide jet of lava blocking his path. He paused, and as soon as the spout ceased, he went for the jump.

He was boiling over with anxiety by this point and was overly anxious to get to the other side. Moving much too hastily, his nerves got the best of him and his right foot nearly missed the landing, scraping his boot along the face of the rock. He stumbled and gasped, fearing that the lava would spray out and scorch his foot, but he pulled it up just in time.

He simply sat on solid ground for a moment, breathing hard as his heart pounded in his chest – he realized at that moment that getting through these mines was going to be hell.

The hero found this entrance room to be much simpler to decipher in terms of puzzles when compared to his previous 'dungeon,' as Midna called them. He was so curious about them. Who placed all of these puzzles and riddles throughout these places? Was it the same evil that Zelda spoke of, trying to make the young man's job harder? Or did the inhabitants of these places create these puzzles so that no outsiders could enter? Either answer made little sense to him.

He made his way through spouts of flame, hitting switches and such as he went. He took out a few slugs encased in fire as well, and he couldn't help but think how strange they looked. As he passed through the first door, he came into a massive area filled with rusty machinery and tarnished metal. He noticed a few large, round mechanisms that seemed to be connected to some sort of swivel, as if they could move, although they were all currently idle and they appeared to be unused for quite some time. He ignored them for now and continued onward.

He found some familiar enemies, as well as some new ones. Much to his distaste, he found another pool of lava in the next room along with the need to hop over small rock platforms to get across. He jumped quickly and apprehensively, the immense heat scorching his flesh with every hurdle. It didn't get any easier the more he did it – it was still just as horrifying as the first time, and he doubted that would change for however long he spent in this inferno.

On the other side he found a stone gate attached to a chain with a rather obvious pull lever. At first he found the door was much too heavy and that he couldn't keep his footing, so he donned the iron boots and found it to be a bit simpler. He pulled the door as far back as it could go and noticed that it began receding as soon as he dropped the lever from his grasp.

Being unprepared and not anticipating the door to retreat back into its starting point, he removed the boots as quickly as he could and then darted off to the right as soon as he realized, getting ready to hop to the first platform but found one of the pillars of fire to be in his way.

"Go! The door is almost closed!" Midna shouted.

"Would you like me to jump right into that lava, Midna?" he spat back irritably.

She huffed and retreated to watch him from the shadows. As soon as the fountain diminished, he leapt and ran with much haste. Up ahead he saw the gate nearing its destination and he picked up the pace. With only a few feet in between the spiked door and the wall, the young hero rolled as quickly as he could and just barely made it on the other side before the loud booming of stone meeting stone reached his ears. He remained on the ground where he landed for a moment, wiping the sweat from his brow and catching his breath.

What he found next both startled and overjoyed him. Through the door he found a pool, and not a pool of lava, but of water! Delighted, he dove headfirst into the liquid, taking a moment to cool down. Much to his dismay, the water was far from cool, in fact, it was actually rather warm, but at least it was something.

He floated there for a moment before his shadow began barking at him to hurry up and he continued on. At first he tried diving to the opening in the grating near the bottom of the pool, but found it to be difficult. It wasn't until a few tries later that Midna spoke up.

"Ugh, put on the iron boots you dummy."

He thought about it and realized it could work, but it frightened him a little – what if they got stuck? What if he couldn't get them off in time and he drowned? He cast that thought aside as he got back up on land, strapped on the heavy equipment, and took in a deep breath before sinking to the bottom of the water.

On the other side he found a switch and he walked onto it without a second thought. What happened then made him nearly choke in shock; he would have gasped, had he been above water.

He was suddenly grasped by an unknown force by his feet that flipped him upside down and plopped him harshly back on the ground, except… it didn't feel right. He opened his eyes to see his whole world upside-down. He took in a deep breath once he realized he was out of the water as he looked around. The force that grabbed him had appeared to be that of a magnetic energy, picking him up by the iron boots and sticking him to more of the same substance that wrapped around the ceiling and onto more stable (right-side up) ground above him.

He took a few heavy steps, realizing very quickly how demanding the typically easy task had become. Not only were the boots extremely heavy in weight to lift, but as soon as one of the boots disconnected from the magnetic force, gravity immediately tried to tug his leg back down to the water; he had to use all of his strength to keep it upright. It took some time, but he eventually made his way across the blue substance as it rounded and changed from the ceiling to the ground and he was back to being level.

He exhaled as he removed his boots and his shadow made itself visible.

"Well," Midna began, floating in a seated position beside the hero, "That sure ought to come in handy."

Link nodded, "As exhausting as it is though, yes, it should be helpful."

"Oh, get over it. You're the Goddess-chosen hero and all that; it's probably not supposed to be easy."

Link put the hefty equipment back into his weight-removing pouch and was still, seemingly in thought. He nodded again, as he often did.

Midna assumed this gesture he frequently performed was a way he kept himself going; she pictured him giving himself optimistic thoughts and signifying them with a nod to get himself moving again. She didn't care how he did it, as long as he kept going. She _needed_ that treasure, at whatever cost. Once she got it, it didn't matter what happened to these stupid light-dwellers.

In the next room Link was pleased to find a Goron elder awaiting his arrival. Gor Amoto spoke of how word had reached him of the young hero, and that his heart must be true. Link didn't understand how word could have gotten to him in here, but he didn't say a thing; perhaps the Goron elders had a way of communicating with each other when they were apart.

The small Goron handed the young man a key shard, explaining to him that it was one of three and that when they were all combined, they formed a single large key that would unlock the door to which the crazed patriarch Darbus was being held, and that each of the elders held a piece.

Walking sideways on the wall proved to be even more difficult and strenuous than walking on the ceiling. When walking sideward, gravity pushed down on the hero's body, requiring him to use all of his muscles in order to keep himself upright. If he relaxed one bit, his body would bend with gravity, making his legs feel as if they would snap at the ankles.

It was painful and demanding in every meaning of the words, but he got through it as quickly as he could only to meet with another massive room in which the only means of travel was by the magnetically enhanced ceiling. He sighed, preparing himself as he donned the boots, stepped onto the switch, and was spun and thrown onto the upside-down walkway.

Hours came and went. It was a magnetic maze; at least it appeared that way while he was flipped vertically. The blood rushed to his head multiple times, forcing him to retreat back to the starting point where he could sit, head above feet, and let his blood flow retain its normalcy before returning to the task.

One time in particular, after taking off the iron boots from the ceiling and falling harshly to the ground on his back, he remained there, his vision blurry and his mind hazy. He felt as if he had made it so much farther that time, but he had been upside-down far too long; his head had become completely disoriented.

His breathing was heavy and his entire body was drenched in sweat. His hair was soaked and matted to his face, and his undershirt and trousers were so wet they were sticking to his skin. The heat was finally beginning to take its toll on him, and it became too much to stand.

"What's the hold up?" the imp questioned impatiently.

"Need… a minute," Link mumbled in between breaths.

Midna scoffed as she folded her arms over her chest, "I don't get why it takes you this long, it can't honestly be that hard."

The hero said nothing.

"Get up."

The only movement he made was the haphazard rising and falling of his chest.

"I said get up!"

Link opened his eyes slowly, wiping some of the sweat from his face, "I just need a minute Midna, please… so hot…"

"No!" the shadow spat as she threw her small arms down in a fit, "When I say '_get up_,' you get up! You're such a baby. You aren't even hurt!"

The hero sighed, but mustered the strength to respond, "For Din's sake, Midna, it is hotter than hell in here…" he breathed, "and I am exhausted from walking on ceilings, on walls, and whatever other places humans are not intended to walk," he spoke calmly despite the feelings boiling beneath his skin, "So all I ask… is for a moment to compose myself…"

Midna felt as if steam was billowing from her ears due to the extreme amount of rage erupting inside of her. How _dare_ he tell her he needed a moment! Did he not understand that he was her _slave_ and he could only have a moment if she _allowed_ him to? The nerve of these light-dwellers! She was so angry she couldn't even find words. How lazy these people of the light were; it had softened them, she thought.

If only she had the means to get the treasure herself, she would already be done.

She had lost herself in furious inner-ranting for a moment, not recognizing what was happening before her - the hero was not doing well.

"Midna…" he called out to her, snapping her from her trance, "I… need water…"

The imp scoffed, "And? What would you like me to do about it?"

The young man coughed, holding his head after doing so. His eyes were glazed over and the small girl noticed that they were having trouble focusing. He was dizzy and extremely lightheaded, not to mention disoriented beyond recognition. His skin was turning a slight red color, and he was obviously fatigued.

Midna said nothing for quite some time, simply observing him and refusing to help him. She found it preposterous, him asking her for water - who did he think he was? Sure, some light spirits said he was the chosen hero and all that nonsense, but that didn't change the fact that he had to do what she said, not vice versa.

"Ilia…" he moaned.

Midna looked down at him lying on the floor and swooped in closer to see if she had misheard him, "Say _what_?"

"Ilia… Epona, where… where's Ep… Epona…"

"That's not funny! Do you think I'll believe you're really that out of it and let you rest? I'm not that stupid!" she shouted, growing livid.

His eyes were moving rapidly beneath his closed lids, "Il… Ilia…"

The imp smacked him across the cheek, "Stop it! You're freaking me out! What's wrong with you?"

"It's so… hot…"

Midna placed a dainty hand to his forehead. Despite being a shadow, she could choose to give certain parts of her body physical form in order to feel when she needed to, and she withdrew her hand instantly, screeching, "Gods, you're burning up! You stupid wolf!"

The young hero groaned; his pulse and his breath quickening.

"Oh geez, you're probably having a heat stroke or something aren't you? Gods! You're so _dumb_! What am I going to do with you! You can't die on me, you idiot!" she hovered about in a panic, thinking on what to do.

She always told herself she didn't care if he died, but… maybe she did? No. No! She didn't care! She just needed him to get the treasure and that's it! She didn't care…

"Water…" the half-conscious hero mumbled.

"Water! I'll go get water!" the imp bellowed to herself, "Stay here! And don't you _dare_ die, you stupid wolf!"

* * *

_**Hell probably isn't this hot.**_

* * *

**A/N: **I wanted to let you all know that I have a Facebook fan page (strictly for Fanfiction, nothing else) that I update frequently with how this story is coming along. I wanted to give you guys a way to communicate with each other and with myself and also to know when to expect an update! I also give sneak peeks of upcoming chapters ;)  
You can find my Facebook fan page under: **Selphie Kinneas 175**  
Hope to see you there! :)


	13. Callous and Congenial

**A/N:** _This chapter was revised as of 2/9/13 – Polished, added narrative._

_This chapter was revised as of 5/29/13 – Minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 13: Callous and Congenial

**.:.**

The imp didn't want to admit it, but she was slightly worried.

Although she didn't dwell on it much, she convinced herself that she only grew nervous over the fact that if this hero passed on, she would have no way to obtain her much needed treasure. She was sure that she didn't truly care for this wolf, or Hylian, whatever he was; he was just a tool and nothing more. Nevertheless, she needed him at the moment, and she couldn't let him die on her, even if she truthfully didn't care about his wellbeing.

She reached into the barely-conscious man's pouch on his waist, grabbed an empty bottle, and made her way into the room they had previously ventured through. Luckily, her ability to float came in handy as she was able to simply swoop down to the bottom floor, gather up some water, and hover back up to the higher ground and out of the watery chamber.

The small girl flew hastily back to the hero, yelling at him all the while, "Get up! Get up you lazy wolf!"

The young man moved a bit and mumbled incoherently as Midna parted his lips and poured some water rather forcefully down his throat. He sputtered and coughed, turning on his side to avoid choking before returning to his back with a moan.

After a few moments of silence, he spoke up quietly, "Thank you."

Midna sighed, inwardly relieved even though she wore a tough exterior, "Yeah, yeah. So can we go now?"

Link nodded slowly, "I just need a minute."

The imp huffed, unhappy about having to waste more time. That was, until she noticed that Link was still not faring too well. After all, she had only retrieved one bottle of water, perhaps it wasn't enough.

"Ugh, I guess I'll go get more water," Midna offered, trying her best to sound put out, even though she honestly didn't mind.

After she returned with more of the slightly cool liquid and helped the young man to drink some, it was silent for some time. Until, Link opened his eyes to see the imp looking back down at him. For a second he could have sworn he saw a glimmer of fear, but perhaps he was still hallucinating.

"Thank you… for caring," the disoriented hero mumbled.

Midna scoffed, "_Caring_? Please! All I care about is that you're well enough to get me my treasure. If I didn't need you for that, I probably would have left you to die here," she lied. Or was it a lie?

The imp had become so confused within her own emotions she had no idea what was truth and what was false. She knew she held such disdain for these creatures of light, and up until now she hadn't had a single care for this one in particular, he was nothing more than a means to an end in her eyes. And yet, what was this she was feeling now? She couldn't _honestly_ have even the slightest amount of sympathy for this pathetic wolf! He was one of _them_! She ignored her feelings to the best of her ability, which was rather well.

Link sighed as he lowered his gaze, "I just thought… maybe… you were beginning to care," he murmured quietly in between heavy breaths.

"Hah," she laughed, "Think again."

A day or two passed by, they weren't sure exactly how many, only how many it felt like to them in this fiery hell-like place. They had backtracked into the room with the water in order for the heat exhausted hero to cool down. Midna had been right; he had had a rather serious case of heat stroke.

Not many people ever came down with it back in her home, but she was still aware of it and its severity if not treated. She hated wasting days away like this - not progressing or doing anything of importance - but she assured herself it had to be done. These light-dwellers were so weak, so susceptible to every little bit of harm, it disgusted and annoyed her, but she had to deal with it and she had to let him recuperate so he wouldn't go and get himself killed.

With a clear head, the puzzle on the ceiling that had previously felt like a maze to him, he now got through rather simply, even though it took quite a long time.

He soon after came to discover that the large, round mechanisms he had observed when he first entered the mines could now function when certain switches were pressed. He also came to find out that they were nothing more than enormous magnets of which his iron boots would stick to, allowing him to reach previously inaccessible areas when they swiveled.

After traveling a bit more, he came across another water-filled room. He took a moment to eat some fish he found here. How they got in this god-forsaken place, he had no idea, but he was famished and they were the only edible substance around. He was overjoyed to find more water; he was beginning to get dehydrated again. Not to mention it was a nice way to cool down, even if it wasn't too much so considering the water was rather hot itself. Regardless, he was willing to take any form of cooling off that he could get.

There were a few expressions people often said back in Ordon whenever the weather was far from cool, such as: '_it's hotter than hell_' or '_I'm burning up._' He couldn't help but laugh as he ate his fish thinking about how ridiculous those statements were after being in this wretched place. Never again would he refer to Ordon as being '_hotter than hell_' after being here. This place truly felt like hell – it was so damn _hot_.

"Are you almost done?" his shadow questioned impatiently, making herself visible.

He looked over at her and after he swallowed his last bite he said, "Tell me, were you honestly not worried back there?"

"Back where? What?" she blurted, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Link smiled slightly, "I could tell you were worried; it's not something to be ashamed of. I was worried too. I felt like a goner for a minute there… I even thought I saw Ilia," he scoffed.

"Ugh!" Midna shrieked, trying to sound offended, "As if I would be worried about a light creature like _you_! If I was worried about _anything_ it was about making sure I was still gonna get my Fused Shadow!"

The hero sighed and stood up, saying, "Alright," as he picked up where they left off in terms of the temple's completion.

"'_Alright_?' 'Alright' what?" she shouted irritably.

When she got no response, she spoke up again, "I asked you a question! You're my _servant_! Don't you _dare_ ignore me!"

Link smiled, only so much that she couldn't see it, and replied, "I thought you wanted to hurry up and get out of here? That's what I'm trying to do, being your slave and all."

Midna folded her arms over her chest, confused at his response, but she liked it nevertheless, "Now that's more like it! That's how a proper servant should be!"

Link decided the most important thing was to be on his 'companion's' good side; he found everything was much more difficult when she was in a bad mood.

He actually was beginning to find the magnets a bit entertaining. Sure, they were tiring, but he couldn't help but find enjoyment in strapping on the boots and leaping from a ledge only to have a field of powerful magnetic energy grasp him and attach him to the wall. It was demanding on his already exhausted muscles, but the gravity-defying feel of it was like no other.

There were only a few more rooms the hero and the imp passed through until they reached the second Goron elder named Gor Ebizo. He gave up the second key shard before mentioning a weapon that was said to have been left in the mine by an ancient hero. He explained that the weapon lie in a room ahead beyond a guard. However, said guard ended up being not quite as inviting as the elder made him out to be.

He challenged him to a battle that reminded him of the rampaging Gorons he had encountered scaling the mountain, and also of the stampeding goats back home. He found it to be a rather simple match, once he figured out his strategy, and despite it being _so_ hot. Being so close to the lava he felt as if he could pass out at any moment, but he fought through it and defeated the large rock creature without much difficulty.

The Goron submitted, realizing that Link was in the mine to help the patriarch, and he told him to take the weapon of the hero of old. Was this the same hero in which he was the successor of? It seemed logical, but he wasn't sure.

He wasn't even sure if there was one hero or multiple; perhaps he wasn't very well educated in the history Hyrule's heroes. He supposed he should do something about that considering he was supposed to be one. Oh, the things that enter a young hero's mind on a whim.

The Hero's Bow… That's what he heard the Gorons call it, and Midna confirmed it as well. He didn't know how she knew about it, but she seemed to be more knowledgeable than him on most things.

"Wow," Link mumbled, staring in awe at the slightly worn - but still in good condition - weapon.

"What?" Midna asked confusedly.

"To think that the hero of legend, the hero that saved Hyrule all those years ago, the one they make statues of and the one that is supposed to be my ancestor, held this very bow… it's amazing."

"Uh," the imp raised an eyebrow, "If you say so. It just looks like an old piece of wood to me," she tried to rain on his parade, but he paid her no mind; it still enticed him.

"Do you even know how to use it?"

Link looked over at her, a bit of a dumbfounded look on his tired features, "Um," he thought for a moment, "No, not really. I've never even held a bow before."

"Just great!" Midna thundered angrily, throwing her hands up in the air as if to say she had just given up entirely.

"Hold on, don't be hasty. I can learn," the young hero assured, trying to figure out how to hold the bow.

Midna scoffed, "You know how long it takes people to learn archery? Don't be ridiculous. You're far too thick to teach yourself how to-"

The sound of an arrow rushing past her ears cut her off instantly.

"What were you trying to do! Kill me? You stupid wolf!"

"No, no," Link shook his head apologetically, "I'm sorry, Midna, I was trying to hit that slug behind you."

She turned around to see what the young man was referring to, "Seriously?" she pointed to the strange creature to make sure they were talking about the same thing.

"Yes."

Midna laughed so hard she had to grasp at her aching sides, "You were nowhere near it! Oh Gods! We'll be here forever!" It was a dark laughter, the kind you hear when someone is so angry at a situation that they use it to point out the absurdity of it all.

Link shook his head, "I'll figure it out quick as I can, promise."

She sighed and let her small form float to the floor, getting comfortable as she was expecting to be here quite some time.

He remembered looking at pictures of archers and he tried his best to imitate their pose. It took him a while to figure out which hand was supposed to hold the bow and which was supposed to pull back the string, but he eventually figured it out. Learning how to aim and shoot, however, took quite a bit longer.

A few tries later, the young hero had struck a rope on the far side of the room, causing a bridge to fall down before them. Midna's jaw dropped, but not enough for him to notice. She had never seen anyone learn how to properly use a bow and arrow that quickly. Maybe he really was a hero.

The next area he found to be rather enjoyable as he got to test out his archery skills even farther. Shooting the jewels on the rotating pillars proved to be a great way for him to improve, and it was even kind of fun. He had to smile as his mind was taken off of the seriousness at hand, even if just for a moment.

Gaining the third and final key shard from the last Goron elder was also really exciting – he couldn't wait to get out of this fiery prison. He kept reminding himself of cool winters on the ranch, the cold breeze on the air showing his breath in the early morning as he herded the goats. Oh, how he missed home.

The Goron elder explained that the patriarch was no doubt very powerful in his new, grotesque form. That statement frightened the hero a bit, but not enough to hold him back. He told him to hurry, and he intended to do just that.

So much lava... So much having to leap over pools of lava. Link hated it; it instilled fear in him with each and every jump. It was so hot, and he was so physically drained that picking up his feet had become tiring.

There were more magnets, more shooting, and more enemies to kill. In one of the magma filled rooms, he nearly fell to his death, just barely grabbing onto a ledge while his body dangled above the lava. He thought he was dead for a moment, slamming his eyes shut in an attempt to avoid the pain, but when he opened them he realized he had saved himself. He sighed heavily as he mustered up the strength to heave himself up onto the rocky platform. His heart pounded so hard in his chest that he was sure it was going to burst right through.

He continued on at a heightened speed, eager to get out of this place. He passed through a few more corridors and a few more puzzles before coming to the final chamber before confronting the patriarch.

He noticed right away that there were more Bulblins in this area, and he dispatched them from afar with his newly acquired bow. However, one had gone unnoticed by the hero, and as he was making his way down the metal ramp, the creature's flaming arrow struck Link's right calf. He grunted something awful in pain as he tumbled to the floor, his leg instantly crying out in agony.

The hero, now on the ground, turned to see where the attack had come from, and he saw the minion aiming another shot. As soon as he realized another arrow was flying at him, he rolled out of the way as quickly as he could, just scarcely missing another strike. He withdrew his bow just as the creature was preparing another volley. The young man let his arrow soar before the Bulblin could even pull back his bowstring, and he expired.

Link sighed as he dropped his weapon, looking down at the fresh wound in his leg. He grasped it with his hands, a futile attempt at ceasing the pain.

"Stupid," he heard his shadow whisper just before she showed herself, "Stupid, stupid, stupid."

"Could you stop chastising me and help me so I can go see the patriarch and be done with this place?" the hero proclaimed bluntly.

"Alright, touchy," the imp replied, swooping in closer to have a better look.

The arrow was wedged into his right calf muscle through the thin pants he adorned. She could see small amounts of blood surrounding the arrow, but she knew it would worsen when the weapon was removed, and she knew it had to be soon.

"Well, at least it was a dumb creature," she offered, "At least it had bad aim and didn't get you anywhere too important!"

Link scoffed, "I would say my leg is important, Midna."

"Eh," she shrugged, "not as important as say… your heart! Or your head!" she laughed.

He ignored her sarcasm, "Are you going to pull it out, or am I?"

Midna sighed, and before he could even tell what she was doing, the imp yanked the arrow from his flesh. The hero inhaled sharply at the pain, but calmed himself quickly.

"I noticed Mister Renado left some cloth in my bag," Link began as he proffered Midna the pack, "I think he knew I was going to get myself hurt again," he chuckled dryly.

"What? I have to do that for you too?"

Link exhaled slowly, "Would you, please?"

"Ugh! I don't like this, but fine. You know you owe me," she gave in, snatching the cloth angrily from the pouch and beginning to wrap it around the young man's leg.

Link smiled a miniscule smile, "Thank you."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

The imp worked quickly, obviously wanting to hurry up and get out of here as much as he did. He had either fallen asleep during the process or lost consciousness, she wasn't sure which one. She didn't really care though; she guessed he needed the rest in whichever form he could get it. She supposed she would allow him the respite. After all, what good would he be to her worn out?

Despite the surroundings and his injury, he actually looked somewhat peaceful. Sure, his face was covered in a thick layer of dirt and soot and his tunic was scorched off in various places, but he was still handsome, and she found she had a hard time removing her gaze. She couldn't help but wonder what he was dreaming about – he looked so serene. Maybe he was dreaming about herding those ugly goats back in his village, or maybe that idiotic girl he was so crazy about. Whatever it was, she let him have it, for the time being.

As soon as he had come to, he was eager to get going. They were _so_ close to being done, _so_ close to getting out of this heat trap. He was so ready to face the patriarch and smell fresh air again – he had no idea how long they had been in this place, but it was definitely _too_ long.

When he tried to stand, he found it to be difficult. When he tried to walk, he found it practically impossible. It had only been hours since his calf was struck with the flaming projectile, which was nowhere near enough time for it to heal.

Nevertheless, he was determined to get this over with. It didn't matter if he was ready to go or not anyway, though, because even if he desired more rest his shadow wouldn't have allowed it. She seemed more eager to get out of the volcano than he was. Her reasoning was simply because of her selfish nature, and she would have insisted he face the patriarch even with an injured leg anyway. She would have said, '_You still have another one!_'

So, wounded leg and all, the hero headed up to the giant door and unlocked it. He ignored the discomfort as he stepped through the door and it relocked itself behind him.

It was a rather small chamber, and when he first entered he was surprised to find that it felt somewhat cold. It smelled like a fire that had just been put out. There was a darkened figure in the middle that was completely still and made no sound other than its heavy breathing. Link limped towards the creature, not knowing what to expect. When it remained stationary and made not a sound, the hero spoke up.

"Darbus, patriarch of the Goron tribe," he struggled to kneel, hoping to show his respect and avoid conflict altogether, "I have come on behalf of…" he trailed off slowly as he noticed a reddish-orange gem on the creature's forehead begin to light up.

He got to his feet quickly as the demon roared out loud in anger. It came within inches of the hero's face, growling and thundering to show its power. The young man merely flinched, but held his ground as the beast unleashed its rage. Its breath smelled of burning rock and metal as it blew back Link's sandy-blond hair.

He raised his shield as the possessed Goron set itself ablaze and powerfully yanked its chains free one by one. Just like that, the intense heat of the volcano was back.

"So much for talking," Midna whispered, observing from the shadows, "Move!"

He was too slow. The flaming creature whipped Link across the room with its free chain. He landed harshly on his side but he hurriedly scrambled to his feet. The pain in his leg was cast aside and forgotten as he concentrated on what the strategy could be for defeating this monster.

His sword was no use; it was simply futile to even attempt it. The boomerang was pointless and arrows didn't do any good. Except… he had an idea.

"The gem," he mumbled to himself.

The fiend began stomping over to him at an alarming rate as he drew out his bow and let an arrow fly as quickly as he could. It pierced the target and the Goron began running around the room frantically, grasping at where the arrow had hit. As it was rampaging about the chamber, Link noticed the loose chains that were still attached to its feet, and he instantly followed his gut.

He ran over to the shackles as hastily as his wounded leg would take him, grasped onto them, and pulled with all his might, but it was no use.

"You need the iron boots, idiot!" he heard his shadow yell.

He didn't have time to strap on the boots! He looked up at the creature who, by now, was recovering from the shot and was not very happy about it.

It took another swing at the hero, but he quickly dodged. He struck the fiend with an arrow a second time, knowing now that he had to strap on the iron equipment as soon as he hit the jewel on the beast's forehead. He did just that, and he proceeded to grasp the chains and pull with all his strength, sending the mighty creature to the floor.

Now was his chance. He sprinted over to the area he knew to be its weak spot and hammered away with his blade. After a number of punitive slices to its forehead, the beast was conquered.

It was rewarding to see the evil energy escape the body of the innocent Goron; Link had only hoped that the patriarch hadn't suffered any injury from the battle.

Another Fused Shadow for Midna – he was relieved. He let his tired body slink to the floor for a moment, only a moment, as his companion told him an 'interesting story,' as she called it.

She told him about a man named Zant who was behind the twilight taking over Hyrule. From there she went on to complain about Princess Zelda and her decision when the twilight invaded, but Link uttered not a word. He didn't know if what she said was entirely true or not; he had never witnessed the princess' rule, being in such a distant place as Ordon.

Just one more Fused Shadow left, she had told him. Did that mean he would be done with this whole 'hero' mess and he could go find Ilia, gather the children from Kakariko and go home? Oh Goddesses… he hoped so.

That was what kept him going – the idea of being able to go back to Ordon soon, back to his loved ones and his place of happiness. Never again would he want to leave that place, he was sure of that. He would forevermore be grateful of the little village he lived in, and he would never need more than that.

* * *

_**An inconsiderate imp and a selfless hero.**_


	14. It Can Always Get Worse

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 3/10/13 – Polished, added narrative._

_This chapter was revised as of 5/29/13 – Minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Mak****es a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 14: It Can Always Get Worse

**.:.**

The fresh, cool air of Kakariko was more than welcoming to the young hero with an overheated temperature.

The village was quiet - most likely due to it still being rather early in the morning - as the portal Midna created dropped him off in front of the spirit's spring. Eldin informed him that in the land guarded by the spirit Lanayru, which was north of Kakariko, he would find the one he had been searching for. He just knew that the spirit had to be referring to Ilia, and his heart jumped uncontrollably at the thought of finding her.

Would she be happy to see him? Would she be hurt? Would she be angry at him? Oh Goddesses… he didn't even care if she greeted him with fury dripping off her every word, as long as he would live to greet her once more.

He was snapped from his thoughts as he suddenly heard rustling to his right. He turned around to the sight of Renado along with all the children. Colin seemed to still be having some difficulty getting around after the ordeal with the vile Bulblin king. How long had he been gone anyway?

"Link…" he could just barely hear the small boy's call over the wind blowing past his ears.

Link was quickly reminded of his injured leg as he ran to meet Colin just as the boy stumbled to the dirt. The hero ignored the pain as he instead focused on that of his younger brother.

He placed his hands on Colin's shoulders as the lad looked up at him and began speaking, "Ilia… You've got to save Ilia! Those monsters left me with the other kids, but they must have taken her somewhere else!"

The hero sighed as he tried to get a word in, but Colin continued, "Whenever I thought I couldn't go on, I would think of you and Ilia and hold on, Link…"

Link watched as the small, frail boy slowly got to his feet and said, "See? I… I'm fine now."

He couldn't fight back the smile that ensued even if he wanted to. No doubt, Ilia had always been significant to everyone from the village; with it being such a small community everyone was important in different ways. She was motherly with the little ones and friendly with everybody, despite her occasional outburst due to her rather short temper. That didn't bother anyone from back home though, as they knew she only ever lost her temper when it was dealing with something that was extremely dear to her.

She often got angry at the children for rough-housing, only because she didn't want them to get hurt. She often got angry with her father for going easy on people, only because she loved him and wanted him to be seen as the best mayor the village had ever had. She often got angry with Link for many things, such as the way he treated Epona and the way he treated himself, only because he meant _so_ much to her.

Link smiled again at the thought of his best friend; he would get her back safely no matter what that meant he had to do.

He stood slowly and with much difficulty, but he hid it rather well, as Colin spoke up again, "Remember what I told you back in Ordon, Link?"

Of course he remembered; he could never forget it. He had told him he wanted to be just like him when he grew up, just like he had told his father right before he…

"So you don't have to worry about me anymore! Go help Ilia!" he said enthusiastically, snapping the young hero from his thoughts.

Renado stepped in, swearing to Link that he would watch over the children. He then went on to say, "In Hyrule, countless tales are told of the ancient hero… and your deeds bring them all to mind. May the graces of the great Goddesses who shaped Hyrule bear you on your way."

When they all proceeded to bow before him, he couldn't help but be shocked and slightly embarrassed. He wanted to tell them to stand up, that he was still the same person he had always been and that none of this was necessary, but he couldn't find his voice. He didn't want those closest to him to treat him any differently; he didn't _feel _any differently.

As the shaman's eyes opened, still bowing before the hero, the sight of his right leg hastily wrapped in bloodied cloth caught his attention. Now that the wise man thought on it, he didn't look too well at all. His skin was a deep red color with beads of sweat pouring down every visible inch of him.

"Link," his deep voice spoke up, causing the children that were bowing to perk up and see what was the matter, "Let's get you inside, out of this harsh sunlight. It appears you have already had your fair share of heat, am I right?"

Link sighed, instantly being reminded of it all, "Yes."

As he tried to follow the group indoors, he limped quite noticeably. After only a few steps, his bad leg gave out on him and he fell to his knee, grasping at his calf.

Renado turned around at the sound of Colin calling his name from next to the hero.

"Are you okay, Link?" the small boy asked, grabbing his shoulders.

Link feigned a smile, "I'm alright. It's just my leg."

"Me and Mister Renado will fix you up!" Colin proclaimed.

The shaman smiled at the child's eagerness to help tend to the man he considered to be his brother. He got on Link's right side, allowing him to hold onto him for support as he helped him make his way into the inn, Colin leading the way.

Ascending the stairs was rather time consuming, but they made it eventually. Link sat down on the bed while Renado gathered his supplies and - with the help of Colin - he removed his boots. Once they were off, he let his body fall back onto the soft surface beneath him. He exhaled slowly at the relief of being out of that unbearable, intense heat. He was sure the others found the current temperature of the village to be rather warm, but after being in the volcano, this place felt like a winter wonderland.

Colin eyeballed the cloth that was wrapped around his calf for a moment until Renado walked over to the right side of the bed, pulled up a chair, and took a seat. He motioned for Link to sit upright as he placed a pillow at the young man's back.

"So," the shaman spoke up as he began unraveling the fabric to reveal the wound, "Tell me what happened."

Link inhaled slowly as he responded, "I was shot with an arrow."

He could see Colin grimace out of the corner of his eyes.

Renado paused and looked up at him, a confused look on his older features, "Then… how did you remove it?"

The young man didn't know what to say. Renado had asked in such a shocked and perplexed manner that Link was beginning to question whether or not he was supposed to have taken it out on his own. But then he realized he wouldn't have been able to continue on and face the patriarch with the arrow lodged in his leg, anyway, so it wasn't as if he had had a choice.

"I… pulled it out?" he replied hesitantly.

The older man immediately began applying pressure to Link's wound in different spots as if he was searching for something beneath the skin. He winced slightly at the pain of his injury being touched, but it was bearable.

Renado looked back up at him, seemingly bewildered, "I don't know how you removed the arrow without the head getting stuck in your leg. You are either very lucky, or the Goddesses are truly watching over you."

Link was shocked; he hadn't even thought of that before. He never knew anything about medicine or tending to people, and he certainly knew even less about arrows and how to effectively remove them from one's flesh. He had been in such pain at the strike that he hadn't thought rationally about the fact that the arrowhead would have logically been stuck inside his calf muscle.

Perhaps Midna knew and did some magic on it? She didn't appear to know what she was doing simply by how lazily she wrapped his leg. Maybe the Goddesses had actually helped him somehow? He had no idea.

Colin was forced to leave the room as it was necessary for Link to remove his trousers in order for the shaman to clean and bandage his wound. The pain was rather heavy during the cleaning, but once he began rebinding his calf, it became more tolerable, and he quickly let sleep consume him.

Dreams filled his weary head of being back home with Ilia, herding the goats, riding Epona... The grass… the trees… nothing important to do, nowhere important to go… Ah, how he missed that feeling. It all left him in a flash when he began to slowly wake up.

"Morning Link! Are you feeling better?" Colin greeted him excitedly.

Link rubbed his eyes and he noticed a cool, damp cloth on his forehead.

"You had quite the temperature after coming down from that mountain yesterday," he heard Renado say from the doorway to the room, "but-"

"But I brought you some water and I kept a nice, cold rag on your head all night and you cooled down!" Colin interjected excitedly.

Link smiled, "Thank you. I feel much better."

After having something to eat and listening to Colin talk about how things have been going in the village, he decided he needed to head out, despite Renado telling him he should stay off his leg for a little bit more time. He didn't want to leave Ilia waiting any longer; he wanted to find her and get her to safety as soon as possible.

As he was saying his goodbyes, the children begged him to show them his archery skills. Although he didn't want to take any more time away from finding Ilia, he did enjoy seeing the children so happy, and he would gladly take a few simply moments to give that to them. Besides, the extra archery practice would, indeed, come in handy.

The gleeful squealing of the children as he began hitting the targets reminded him of being at home and how they would always ask him to show them something – anything - on his days off. He had missed it terribly.

They had him aim for some close targets, then some farther, and then some all the way across the village. After he amazed them by hitting a slender pole Talo was holding at his typical watch post at the top of the mountain, they all praised him endlessly before heading back to their usual spots to play, all except Colin.

"Link?" he spoke up, getting the older one's attention, "Are you going to find Ilia?"

The hero nodded.

Colin seemed disheartened, "What if she got hurt?"

Link sighed. He had to admit, that question had been plaguing his mind too, but he couldn't tell the little boy that, "She didn't. But even if she did, Mister Renado would make her all better. He's fixed up me and you both now, hasn't he?"

The young lad nodded slowly, still not convinced.

"She'll be alright, I promise. I'll get her back here safe and sound before you know it. Don't forget, I still need you to protect everyone here, okay?"

That always made Colin grin, and this time was no different, "Okay, Link. I'll be waiting for you two!"

Link smiled in return and mounted Epona, heading north out of the village.

It wasn't long until the curtain of twilight was before them. Epona reared up and whinnied, obviously disturbed by the strange wall of darkness. Midna, however, thrived in this territory.

She became visible and proceeded to stretch and yawn, saying, "Ahh… finally! About to head back into the twilight! Honestly, though, could you have taken any longer?"

He ignored her sarcasm, as he was starting to grow accustomed to doing, and as he dismounted his mare he spoke up, "How did you remove that arrow?"

She looked confused for a moment, but then quickly realized where this was going and scoffed, "You mean what that old geezer was talking about before? As if I have a clue! I wouldn't have cared if the arrowhead got lodged in your leg, anyway - I just pulled it out. Must've been the work of your Goddesses or whatever crock that old guy said."

Link was confused, but he shrugged it off, chalking it up to a simple miracle that he would have to thank the Goddesses for later, and he then headed for the entrance to the twilight invaded Hyrule.

"Let's go!" the imp yelled, excited to re-enter the realm in which she so adored.

It was all the same as the previous two times they had entered the twilight. Midna pulled him through carelessly and harshly, the atmosphere was dark and gloomy, and the pain of transforming was searing and unpleasant. She had mentioned earlier that this was supposedly the last of the twilight he would have to witness; he prayed that was true. There wasn't anything he enjoyed about being stuck in perpetual darkness. Each time he entered it, he could only count the minutes until he would see the light of day again.

When they came across Ilia's bag on the ground and her scent filled his nostrils, fierce determination instantly welled up inside of him and he sped off in the direction that his canine-enhanced nose took him.

This part of the field was expansive, but he noticed the wound in his leg was almost nonexistent now that he was a wolf, or maybe he just didn't notice it now that he had two more legs to run on. Nevertheless, he ran across the grassy plain at a record speed.

"Hey!" Midna stopped him abruptly by pulling on his fur. She leaned in close to his ear and said, "Haven't we seen this castle before?"

When he took the time to stop and look around him, he found it was true. It looked like the castle they had ventured through when he first transformed into a beast. It looked majestic, truly, even in the gloomy light that shrouded it; it stood tall despite the horrible fate that had befallen it. In a way, it reminded him of Princess Zelda: never faltering or straying from duty when hardship or sadness were bountiful. Well at least… that was the impression she had given off when they had briefly met.

As they entered Castle Town, Link was immediately dumbfounded. There were _so_ many orbs, _so_ many spirits of people that carried on through the town, blissfully unaware of the doom that had covered the entire town like a veil. The way the castle loomed in the distance was now almost… _haunting_.

He followed the scent until his nose brought him to a door with a sign beside it that read _'medical clinic_.' Link instantly panicked – had she gotten hurt? Then he realized that the scent continued on; it trailed out of the health center and down the street a bit farther until it reached a door that had been left ajar.

Eager to see if the one he had been searching for was alright, he bounded into what he read to be the bar.

His canine senses were ablaze with Ilia's scent in this room. When he concentrated on deciphering the different orbs, he instantly spotted her, and his heart fluttered upon the sight of her familiar face.

She seemed disheartened as she watched over what Link assumed to be a Zora child along with a larger looking woman. He had only ever heard of the aquatic creatures from the adults back in the village; he had never actually seen one before, but this being fit the description.

He listened to the two females talk and his assumptions were proven true, although the Zora seemed to not be faring too well. Luckily, Ilia appeared to be just fine, and Link's heart rejoiced at that realization. He had been so guilt-ridden and torn apart with worry over his best friend, and to see her unharmed did wonders for his wellbeing.

If only she could see him… If only he could speak to her, tell her that he was here to take her home…

He couldn't rid this place of the twilight soon enough.

After discerning the location of the spirit Lanayru on a nearby map, they set out with much haste. He never had any idea that Hyrule Field was so vast and sprawling, but he ran across it as quickly as he could, anxious to regain his human self and truly reunite with Ilia.

When they made it to the great bridge, something smelled terribly strong, but he trekked onto it nonetheless. Halfway across the bridge, Midna tugged on him to get him to stop. He could hear her sniffing now, too.

"Hey, do you smell something funny?" she asked nervously.

Of course he did, but he thought nothing of it. As he looked to his feet, he noticed that was where the smell had been coming from. It smelled like… _oil_.

That was when his head snapped up at the sound of a bowstring being pulled pack. He noticed a single Bulblin preparing a strike, but it was aimed much too high to be trying to hit them. They watched as the flaming arrow soared over their heads and landed at the end of the bridge they had entered from, instantaneously setting the odorous fluid alight. Before he could run in the opposite direction, however, the monster set fire to the other side of the bridge as well.

The flammable liquid quickly caught the flames and it began moving towards the center at a rapid pace.

"Oh no! We're trapped! Get out of here!" Midna shrieked, tugging on his fur fearfully.

They needed to get off the bridge, and _quickly_… but how? There was no way around the blazes and there was nothing but a straight drop below. Link spotted two crates nearby and pushed one against the wall of the bridge, using it to climb up onto bridge's ledge. He looked down nervously and the imp immediately knew what he was thinking.

"You can't be serious. We can't jump from this high!"

Link grumbled as he motioned in both directions, pointing out to his companion that the flames were now very close to them, and there was no other way to go.

Midna sighed anxiously, shutting her eyes tight as she shrieked, "Okay, okay! Just hurry up and go!"

He looked down at where he was about to jump, carefully trying to examine where he could land safely. He thought he spotted some water at the very bottom; he wasn't sure, but Goddesses, he hoped he was right.

"Go!"

He closed his eyes, took in a deep breath, and leapt from the bridge with a howl emanating from him and a screech from Midna. By the graces of the Goddesses, the duo landed in a small pool of water with a large splash. The impact felt like a harsh slap, but the pain quickly subsided.

When they surfaced, the imp surprisingly commended him for landing safely in a puddle. She then pointed out that this was supposed to be Lake Hylia… but there was hardly any water. He looked around at the grim setting and the dried up lakebed – was this truly the same lake he had heard the villagers explain to be one of the most beautiful sights to behold in Hyrule?

It only made him angrier and more eager to end this dreaded twilight and return the land to its former glory.

As they started looking for the spirit's spring, they came across multiple orbs. Most of them appeared to be fish-like people, just like the one they had seen Ilia watching over earlier. If this was the Zora's home, why had the little one gone so far away and ended up in Castle Town?

After a bit more wandering about searching for clues as to how to reach the spring, they spotted a monster. When it realized it had been seen, it blew into a blade of grass that Link had often used back home to summon a hawk. Only this time, a strange, dark creature came down from the gloomy skies and the fiend hopped onto its back.

Link was able to dispatch of the lesser monsters with ease, leaving its mount without a master. Midna noticed this and immediately formed a crazy idea. She hopped onto its back, calmed it down, and took control over the mindless bird-like terror. She told him to get ready, and before he could brace himself, the flying fiend grasped his body up into its talons.

Midna steered the beast into a high, waterless cavern that lead up to the uppermost part of Zora's River.

The first thing the two noticed was how drastically cold it had gotten. As they continued onward, they found ice and snow abound. Midna pointed out that this was supposed to be Zora's Domain, a place filled with beautiful pools of crystal clear water, and yet, there was no water in sight; it had all been completely frozen over.

"Hurry up!" Midna yelled from atop him; he could feel her shivering.

The imp helped him ascend the now-frozen waterfall by jumping to dangerous and highly unstable ledges and protruding ice shards. He was nearly impaled by falling slivers of solidified water more times than he cared to admit, and towards the top he came perilously close to falling to his death.

His heart skipped a beat as his back paws skidded off the slippery ground, leaving him dangling on the edge. He dared to look down, seeing chunks of ice fall the dozens of feet he had just climbed only to crash to the ground and break into thousands of shards. He gulped nervously, quickly averting his gaze as he used all of his upper body strength to pull himself back up.

Once they made it to solid ground, the wolf took in a deep breath and exhaled it slowly; he was truly grateful he had had Midna with him that time; he wouldn't have been able to find the sure footing on his own and she had encouraged him to take it slow – she could be caring and helpful when she so chose.

Inside a cave-like chamber, they found more shadow beasts that were dispatched of easily. There was a highly ornate seat towards the back of the chamber; it appeared to be a throne room but there was no one and nothing around but ice.

"Whoa! Hey!" Midna smacked him on the back harshly to get his attention, "Down! Look below the ice!" she shouted.

He did just that, immediately noticing numerous orbs. Intrigued, he concentrated his canine senses, and what he saw dumbfounded him.

There were dozens of Zoras trapped in the ice.

They were all frozen in their last waking stance, most of which were swimming frantically to the top trying to save themselves, but they were all too late. Some of the ones toward the bottom didn't even know what hit them, as he noticed that they were all swimming leisurely in the depths. He could see the fear in some of the nearer ones' eyes; he had to look away.

He heard Midna say something about this being strange, but he had a hard time focusing.

"Hey…" she tugged on his ears to get him to listen, "What do you want to do? We can't just leave them like this…"

Well, of course not, but what could they… wait, did she just show remorse and care for someone other than herself? Was this the same imp that had been travelling with him thus far? If only he had been human at that moment, he would have smiled so wide that she would have regretted her words.

He knew she would show her considerate side sooner or later, he always knew she had it somewhere buried in that cold and selfish demeanor of hers. Even if she still treated him cruelly when he regained his true form - which he was sure she would - at least he knew she had the _occasional_ moment of selflessness.

She pointed out that they needed to find something warm to melt the thick ice with. It took some thought and some recollection, but after a few moments, it came to him. Link signaled for Midna to warp them to Death Mountain where they picked up the massive hunk of once-flaming rock that had plummeted to the ground and nearly squished him on their last visit to this place.

When they warped it back to Zora's Domain, it came crashing down into the deep pool. The boulder instantly broke the ice on contact, and the residual heat melted the rest of it, creating a strong current downstream, taking care of the rest of the frozen waters down the river.

Link was glad to notice that none of the Zoras were harmed when the giant boulder plunged into the water; they were confused and disoriented from being thawed out, but they were alright.

As they turned to leave, Link felt a strange presence behind him. He turned his head to see a ghostly outline of a very regal looking Zora. It spoke to him words of thanks for saving the Zora people and the waters of the spring. The apparition stated that, in life, she was the queen of the Zoras, and that her name was Rutela.

Link inched closer, captivated by what this lingering spirit had to say. He heard Midna make a snide remark from his back, but he ignored it, and he hoped the queen did too.

The late queen explained that _'the dark ones'_ came and executed her before her people as a warning to them. She then proceeded to ask the hero for a favor. She spoke of her offspring that she had sent to Hyrule Castle to inform the princess of their fate, but she feared for him, and asked Link to save her young one that she called Prince Ralis.

Just as he was about to nod in agreement, she added that she would bestow upon him the ability to swim and breathe in very deep waters just before she vanished from sight. He would have gladly saved her son without the reward, but without a doubt, said reward would be helpful.

Remembering the task at hand, he leapt into the water and let the flow carry him downstream towards the light spirit. The sheer speed and force of the water jostled him around quite a bit, and he was completely out of control. As he neared the spirit's spring, the flow of the water tossed him harshly against the steps, causing him to bang his head on the stone, rendering him unconscious.

Sometime later, his vision slowly came back to him. He lifted his head up and shook it slightly, shaking away the haziness. He looked to his right to see an agitated Midna hovering over him and chastising him for '_sleeping_' for so long. He stood up on all fours and took a moment to regain his composure; he had a pounding headache but he found most human-like pains to be lessened while a beast.

When they proceeded into the spring of the spirit Lanayru, it told them that it was the last of the spirits to have been consumed by twilight. That's what Link held on to: this being the end - _finally_ being done with this mess and being able to go home with Ilia and the children.

The spirit snapped him from his optimistic thoughts as it told him that he needed to gather the tears of light that were taken by the dark insects for a third time. He knew the routine by now and he assured himself that he would be able to complete this task faster than ever.

"Let's get this done so you can get back to your world of light, huh, hero?" she laughed.

They turned around and set out, eager to be done with this quickly. This was the last of the twilight, the last of this nonsense that he would see. After this, Ilia would no longer be a spirit, and he would no longer be a wolf. He could run back to Castle Town, help Ilia save the Zora prince so as to keep his promise to the late queen, gather Ilia and the children, and then they could all head back home and put all this twilight stuff behind them.

After all, once he rid the last of the twilight from Hyrule, that would also be the end of that so-called king of shadows, right?

Perhaps the light spirits had made more out of this situation than was necessary.

He hurriedly gathered all the tears of light from Lake Hylia with ease, quickly moving on to the river in which they had to summon another bird of twilight. He killed the insect in the upper region of Zora's river, and continued the spree into Zora's Domain, until finally he found the last one in Castle Town. But wait… there was one they must have overlooked in Lake Hylia…

When they returned, something was off. It had begun to storm, and in the distance, in the middle of the lake, they noticed large splashes and ripples of water, as if something was there that they couldn't see.

They advanced on that location, swimming for quite a few minutes in order to reach it. Link grabbed hold of a large, wooden plank floating in the water and pulled himself on top of it. As soon as he did so, it was as if whatever was menacing the surrounding waters noticed his presence and wasn't happy about it.

A large number of bubbles began rising to the surface until something suddenly leapt from the water with a large spark. When the wolf honed his senses, what he saw disgusted him. It was a grotesquely oversized bug, and he just knew it had to have the last tear that he sought.

Of course, the Goddesses couldn't make it easy on him, could they?

It charged him slowly at first, giving Link plenty of time to evade the attack and he responded with one of his own. He latched onto the insect's middle, biting it with all his might. The taste was revolting, but he held down the bile, the canine side of him helping with that part drastically. He watched the creature from above as it swam angrily beneath the surface, preparing its attack.

This time, it had been much faster, knocking the hero into the water as it sent electrical currents through his small frame. His body seized momentarily, but the shock was small and he was able to quickly scramble back onto the nearest floating board.

Link dodged the next oncoming attack and dove for the parasite a second time, gnawing away on its nauseating body. After taking the hit, the overgrown bug fell onto its back in the water, stunned. Link took this opportunity to jump onto its belly and he quickly began attacking the sickening pustules one at a time.

"Don't be an idiot!" Midna yelled, "That'll take all day and big ugly will be up again before you can finish! Let me guide you to each one and you just be ready to take them out with a bite! Got it?"

He took her advice and followed her steady hand to each weak point in turn as he jumped with much haste, sinking his teeth into the monster each time. After the last successful hit, the insect met its demise and gave up the final tear of light.

Link swam back to the spring as quickly as he could, excited to breathe the light world air through his human lungs again. As he regained his natural form, he sighed deeply in relief and stretched his arms up high above him. When the light spirit reclaimed its true self, it appeared as if it had the same feeling as the hero as it reared up high and then swam about its pool before greeting Link with a blinding light.

Lanayru introduced itself and proceeded to tell him that he, at last, revived each of the light spirits in Hyrule. However, Link's optimistic demeanor was shattered as he was still being spoken to about the dark power. He had thought that after ridding the twilight from the land, everything would be fine.

He had thought wrong.

The spirit told him that the last of the dark power he sought lay in a temple in the very depths of Lake Hylia, and just as he was about to turn around and head in that direction, Lanayru continued, but with words he did not expect.

"…But before seeking it, you must now bear witness to something… and never forget it. You must know that it was the will of the Goddesses that we lock away the forbidden power…"

A twinge of fear pulled at Link's mind, but he shrugged it off.

The light spirits had already plagued him with the fate of the world and all its inhabitants relying on him, the burden of being the hero chosen by the Goddesses, and by being told that he was the only one in the world that could ever hope to vanquish the king of shadows. He thought, _what else could they possibly throw at me now_? Whatever it was, it was sure to pale in comparison.

He had thought wrong again.

Link closed his eyes unwillingly, forced to witness scenes play out in his mind that felt all too real by the light spirit. He opened his eyes and found himself not in the garb worn by the hero of legend, but in his typical clothes he wore around Ordon to herd goats.

He felt like he was floating, but all around him was black nothingness. The world that surrounded him was void of anyone or anything. All he could hear was the voice of Lanayru. It was prominent and in the forefront of his mind, but it sounded dissonant and haunting.

_When all was chaos, the Goddesses descended and gave order and life to the world._

He watched as three separate entities, one blue, one green, and one red, whirled by him in a flash of color.

_They granted power equally to all who dwelt in the light, and then returned to the heavens._

The beams of light then created a small plot of green earth, with miniscule life forms buzzing about it. There was nothing to it, and yet somehow… it felt like heaven. It felt untouchable and out of reach, but he wanted to be there… it looked so peaceful.

_The lands where the Goddesses descended came to be known as the Sacred Realm._

When he looked to his left, he saw Ilia, smiling and happy to see him. It felt as if they were never apart, for he smiled back at her just like he would if they were back in the village. They both looked on at the beautiful plot of land before them, and what they witnessed then was the three illuminated colors combining into one and forming three golden triangles.

_For ages, people lived at ease, content in mind and body…_

There was a different air around them now… one of mistrust and betrayal. His smile dropped, as did Ilia's.

_But soon, word of the Sacred Realm spread through Hyrule, and a great battle ensued…_

All he could think about was wanting that serene, grassy hill for himself… he wanted it for himself! No one could take it from him!

Ilia felt the same; he could feel it. As she raised a dagger to him, her eyes reflected that of her spirit – void of emotion or control due to an overwhelming power that neither of them could understand.

He couldn't let her have it.

Just as she went to kill him, he, instead, stabbed her. He wanted the Sacred Realm for himself… and by the Gods, he would get it.

He dropped his sword and ran for that tranquil, green earth, his eyes now showing the same emptiness and loss of control that Ilia had possessed moments ago. He ran and ran but he never got closer.

He wanted the Sacred Realm, he wanted the triangle… He was the hero and his tunic now reflected that. He should be able to have the powerful triangle… He should be able to have it… Why couldn't he have it!

_Among those living in the light, interlopers who excelled at magic appeared._

Three demons stood in his way, but… they looked like him. They looked _exactly_ like him, only they were malevolent in body and mind and they had the tainted Fused Shadow behind them. That immense power drew him in.

It was a siren's song that beckoned him ever closer.

_Wielding powerful sorcery, they tried to establish dominion over the Sacred Realm._

The evil ones raised their arms in unison, ready to attack. It was in that instant that he felt fear, and he took back all those hateful feelings he had moments ago, but it was too late. He raised his arms to shield himself from their assault, but they got him nonetheless, casting him into millions of tiny pieces – into nothing more than a pile of dust.

Now he found himself standing among the evil ones, just as wicked as them, maybe even more so. They all laughed haughtily at their accomplishment; he had liked the feeling of destruction and of power.

_It was then that the Goddesses ordered us three light spirits to intervene._

Him and the dark ones looked around confusedly as three glowing orbs appeared around them.

_We sealed away the great magic those individuals had mastered._

All that power he had had in his grasp… the light spirits were taking it away! He was… angry… He was _so_ angry!

All he could do was scream. And in the blink of an eye, the evil ones were gone… leaving that peaceful, green earth empty once again.

_You know this magic…_

The Fused Shadow… the dark power… it had made him feel unstoppable, powerful beyond all compare. He liked it…

_It is the dark power you seek… the Fused Shadow._

The four pieces spun around his head in a blur. He wanted nothing more than to reach out to them, grab them, and take full advantage of what they had to offer.

_O hero chosen by the Goddesses… Beware…_

He saw Ilia falling… falling… falling… And she was _laughing_…

_Those who do not know the danger of wielding power will, before long, be ruled by it._

That power… he had wanted it so badly and yet, it had driven him mad. No… he didn't want this anymore…

_Never forget that…_

Ilia just kept falling… and falling… had she gone mad too? He didn't want this… but the power… it consumed him… it felt invigorating…

Until the light spirit released him.

He was instantly brought back to the world, and everything he had just witnessed inside his mind hit him in a flurry. It immediately overwhelmed him… and he collapsed.

* * *

_**Never say it can't get any worse - it always can.**_


	15. Insanity at its Finest

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 3/18/13 – Polished, added narrative._

_This chapter was revised as of 5/29/13 – Minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 15: Insanity at its Finest

**.:.**

The hero remained on his knees before the spring, slowly unraveling at the seams.

His head was level, eyes open and unfocused, appearing to not even take in the sight before them, and he was quiet. His mind was reeling, his heart was racing, his palms were sweating, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the sound of the light spirit's echoing voice out of his head.

That power… immense and untamable… It had made him feel unstoppable, powerful beyond all compare, but uncontrollable nonetheless. He hated that feeling.

He felt as if the power had taken over his body, his mind, his very _being_, and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't fight back. For that moment, he had felt _so_ powerful, and yet at the same time, completely powerless.

"What's wrong with you?" his shadow made herself visible, "You look like you just saw a ghost or something."

He didn't look up at her, he didn't even acknowledge that she had said anything, he simply remained where he had collapsed, eyes glazed over with a blank look of horror on his young features.

"Um, hello!" she shouted, waving a small hand in front of his face.

He blinked and his eyes focused on the imp in an instant, "Wh… what?"

"Ugh," she rolled her eyes, "I just asked what's wrong with you."

He remained still, unfazed by her response for a moment, until he lowered his head and tried, "I…" but that was all that came out.

"Just spit it out so we can go already!"

He shut his eyes tight, everything he witnessed moments earlier continuing to replay over and over again in his mind's eye. He reached his hands up and grasped his head, a futile attempt at stopping the repetition.

"Stop…" he mumbled under his breath.

"What?" Midna asked confusedly.

He shook his head, "I want it to stop…" the words came out as nothing more than a whisper.

He had seen things he didn't want to see, things he didn't understand. Ilia… why had Ilia been in that horrible vision? Was it because the light spirit could see that she was important to him, and that symbolically she would get a more drastic response from the hero? That was… just cruel.

"I can't…" he muttered.

She had heard him that time, "Can't what?"

That power had consumed him; it had taken over every fiber of his body and spirit… he wasn't so sure he could honestly go and retrieve the last piece of what, once combined, created said power that he felt so helpless to.

"Can't…" he whispered, his head still facing the ground and his hands still holding his forehead.

The imp sighed loudly, obviously becoming impatient with the hero, "Seriously, if you can't just talk to me like a normal person, then let's just go already."

He said nothing.

"What could the light spirit possibly have showed you that was so bad? Huh? It was probably nothing. As usual, blowing everything out of proportion. I swear, you light dwellers are so-"

"You don't understand, Midna," he stated calmly.

She scoffed, "Please. I'm sure whatever you saw was _not_ that bad."

He looked up at her, frustration in his usually gentle eyes, "You don't… _understand_," he repeated, "You don't understand at all!" his voice rose to a shout as he got to his feet, staring her down.

The imp flinched slightly at his outburst, but was mostly just surprised at his level of anger. She had seen him reach his boiling point on a few occasions now, but it truly was a rare occurrence.

He stood there for a moment trying to collect his thoughts into understandable sentences, but sighed when he came up with nothing. He turned away from his companion with a huff, almost embarrassed at what he was about to try to say.

"The light spirit… it showed me a vision. More like, made me _feel_ a vision, if that makes sense," he began softly, "It showed me the Goddesses creating the Sacred Realm. It felt so great to be close to, and yet, unattainable…" he closed his eyes, remembering that feeling of wanting nothing more than to be there, but being unable to. "It showed me… Ilia… and it made me feel…"

He went silent; he didn't want to remember the part where he had killed his best friend. He knew it wasn't real and he knew he wasn't capable of ever doing such a thing, but he had felt it all.

He had felt the overwhelming amount of greed and selfishness, he had felt the hilt of his blade in his sweating palm as the metal slid into her middle, he had seen the look of terror on her features. He had seen it all through his own eyes and felt it with his own being… it was horrifying.

"'Made you feel'… what?" the imp pressed impatiently.

Link swallowed, "Made me feel… _hatred_ towards her. I… I stabbed her…"

It was quiet again as he closed his eyes, attempting to shove that thought aside.

Midna rolled her eyes, "It wasn't real; I know you know that. It was just a vision the light spirit showed you to give you a little spook, that's all."

He opened his eyes and turned to face her, "But that's not it…"

"Then get on with it!"

He sighed, "I'm trying, Midna."

She sighed as well, trying to calm herself and listen to the distraught hero.

"It showed me the Fused Shadow and made me feel its power," he explained.

The imp's eyes widened, "The Fused Shadow…" she whispered to herself just before hovering closer to his face in wonderment, "What did it feel like, having all that power? The Fused Shadow is supposed to be one of the most powerful things in existence!"

He looked up and met her gaze, "It felt… terrible."

She plopped back down on the ground, disappointed, "Why?"

"I couldn't control myself. It was so powerful, it consumed me completely. I couldn't control my actions, my emotions, my thoughts… all I could think about was being the most powerful being alive, and using that power to…" he thought for a moment, but decided to let her come to her own decision on the last part, "I don't even know, but I never want to feel like that again. I felt completely helpless to it, like I wasn't even myself."

Midna looked to that of the ground beneath her shadowy feet in thought. Could the ancient power truly be too great for one to wield? No, _she_ could do it, she knew she could. And she _would_.

She quickly snapped back to her uncaring demeanor, "Let's just go, okay? You won't use the Fused Shadow; I won't even let you _touch_ it. So don't worry about that, leave that part to me. The stupid light spirit just wanted to scare you so you knew what you were getting into, but you already knew we were after the Fused Shadow, so you're alright, right?"

He looked confused, but said not a word; he couldn't find his voice.

"Just as I thought, you knew that already, so we're fine. I'm fine, you're fine, so can we go now?"

He supposed she was right; what sense did it make to dwell on it? Maybe the light spirit _was_ just trying to frighten him. He wouldn't have to deal with the Fused Shadow anyway… right?

He sighed and met her gaze, giving her an apprehensive nod.

She noticed his uneasiness, "Oh, don't worry about it, you big baby. Let's just get going so we can get that girl of yours back home, okay?"

Link smiled at the thought, and that very thought pushed him forward.

Truthfully, if it wasn't for the goal of reuniting with Ilia, he wasn't so sure he would have had the willpower to continue on. He was dreading obtaining that last piece of the Fused Shadow. So what if Midna said he wouldn't have to use it, he would still have to be near it, and that was enough to remind him of that disturbing warning from Lanayru.

They made their way out of Lake Hylia where Link found some of the horseshoe-shaped grass that Epona adored so much. He blew into it and a beautiful melody echoed over the grassy fields. Only moments later he was greeted by his beloved mare. He took a minute to give her mane a nice pet and to feed her a treat he had kept in his pouch for her. Soon after that, they set off on the field once again.

It was nice seeing the lake and the greater section of Hyrule Field not cloaked in twilight. He had never seen the lake with his own, human eyes; it was even vaster than he imagined when he was a kid. He saw it below as he galloped away on Epona. The rays of the sunlight caught the rippling waters almost magically; the water's surface looked like it was covered in hundreds of diamonds.

Hyrule Field had its own beauties, too. The grass was _so_ green, even greener than that of Ordon grass, and with the twilight lifted, the sky was bluer than blue. No matter where he was on the field, he could always see the topmost tower of Hyrule Castle in the distance, which was one of his most adored parts of travelling the open plains.

However, his absolute _favorite_ part was the wind. The breeze that blew through his hair and rustled the trees felt just like the wind back home; he loved that.

When he finally made his way into the town, he ran through the streets like mad, eager to reunite with Ilia. When he came to the door that led to the bar, though, he froze. What would he say to her? He hadn't even thought of that. Would she be angry with him for leaving her for so long? Knowing her personality, she would probably be overjoyed, furious, and then overjoyed again, possibly with a little crying as well.

He smiled, he had missed his best friend so much, and now she was on the other side of the very door he stood in front of, but… he couldn't build up the courage to open it.

"What are you doing?" he heard his shadow whisper, remaining hidden.

"I'm going. I just had to think of what to say…" he murmured back.

He could hear the imp laughing, "The hero chosen by the Goddesses, afraid of what to say to a girl?"

He couldn't help but grin and chuckle himself; it was absurd, really, "I know, I know."

With that, he didn't delay any longer. He grabbed the door knob, turned it, and rushed inside. As he entered, he heard a grating old man's voice yelling about being unable to treat a Zora child, and the angry little man nearly plowed into him in the doorway. Link looked down at him in shock at the encounter, but the doctor looked at him without a care, and was on his way.

"Doctor, wait! If something isn't done, this child will…"

That voice… he would recognize that sweet sound from anywhere. He whirled around from where he stood facing the entrance, and he saw the one he had been searching for. He gasped at the sight of her after all this time; he was just so happy to see her again. Except… something was wrong.

She spun away from the door after the doctor left, but she could feel his eyes on her. She turned her head and looked at him, a dull and emotionless look in her tired eyes, and in an instant, she turned and walked away.

Link was dumbfounded. If she was mad at him, fine, but did she really have to act like she didn't even recognize him? That was just a bit _too_ harsh; he would give her a hard time for it once they got home.

Ilia and the same tall, strange woman that he had seen with her in the twilight infested Hyrule continued talking about something that the hero simply couldn't concentrate on. He merely stood in the doorway, staring at the girl he had known practically his whole life, torn apart by the fact that she wouldn't even acknowledge him after being separated for so long. He was suddenly snapped from his thoughts when the larger woman began speaking to him.

"Looks like we've got one young swordsman left!" she stated firmly, her hands on her hips.

He looked at her perplexedly; he had no idea what she was talking about, but he uttered not a word.

She turned to Ilia, "And not only that, but it looks like this brave young man will escort us, so get ready to go, honey. Pronto!"

With that, his best friend nodded and ran off, his eyes following her the entire way. He couldn't believe she was still ignoring him – she must really be infuriated at him. He was once again brought back to reality as the other woman approached him.

"You know that girl, don't you?"

Wide-eyed and confused, he tried, "Y-," he had to clear his throat in order to find his voice again, "Yes."

She sighed, "It's a real shame… She can't even remember her own name right now."

"Wha…" Link's heart sank. No, that couldn't really be true. Surely she was just angry at him and would speak with him later, right? She couldn't honestly have forgotten everything… could she?

"She… doesn't remember anything?"

"I'm afraid not," the woman said sadly.

It was as if his entire world was crumbling beneath his feet. He let his gaze fall to the floor, trying to hide his sorrow and confusion from this woman he had just met.

"Bless her heart…" she began again, "She found this poor boy collapsed in the road, so she did all she could to save him. More courage in that girl than in all the soldiers of Hyrule, for sure!"

They both glanced over at the unconscious Zora boy, and he remembered the late queen that asked for him to save her son. Somehow he knew that this was her child. He couldn't focus on that though… all that he could think about was Ilia losing her memory.

"She really doesn't… remember…" he mumbled again, his gaze still locked on that of his boots.

The woman could see his heartache, "I'm sorry, honey. I can see that she is dear to you."

He nodded, "Very. She's… my best friend."

She sighed, truly feeling bad for the both of them, "You lend your strength to her, you hear me?"

He looked up to meet her fixed stare, doing his best to appear strong despite the emotional toll on his being, "I'll do anything for her."

She went on to explain what needed to be done, and Link ensured her that he knew the way to Kakariko, but that the bridge to the west had been destroyed. They wasted no time, despite the fact that night was close to cloaking the land, they set out for the village.

When they approached the bridge to the east, Link couldn't believe his eyes. King Bulblin, the monster that had murdered his parents, tried to do the same to Colin, and the one he thought he had killed previously, was alive and standing in their way.

"Th-Thank you so much for this," Ilia's kind voice interrupted his thoughts, "Um, if you don't mind me asking, what's your name?"

Those words were like a knife in his heart. The fact that the girl he had grown up with and shared so many experiences with couldn't even remember his name was the worst pain imaginable.

"Link," he stated monotonously, sadness cracking his voice slightly.

Her green eyes grew wide in shock, "…Link?"

His heart fluttered at that sound and the look on her face; he knew she couldn't have truly forgotten him. Surely hearing his name brought back her memory of her best friend.

"I will never in all my life forget your kindness, Link."

Just when he thought his heart couldn't sink anymore, it did just that.

He paid no attention to what the other woman said after that, he only heard something about his feral eyes. All he could think about was Ilia not recognizing him – it was like losing a loved one all over again. Just when he thought he would be able to reunite and talk to the one person in this world that was closest to him, it slipped from his grasp.

He had so many things he wanted to talk to her about, to tell her, but now he couldn't, because she thought of him as a mere _stranger_. He wanted so badly to break down and give up, but he knew he couldn't do that – he had to be strong for everyone's sake.

Everything seemed to pile one on top of the other, weighing him down incredibly. He felt so overwhelmed, and he had no one to relay his feelings to. Sure, maybe Midna had warmed up a _bit_, but she was still cruel and would never listen to him go on about how _sad_ he was – she would probably just make fun of him.

The only other people he knew were the villagers, most of which had no idea anything of this magnitude was going on, and he certainly didn't want to worry the children with such distressing matters.

So, like the good hero he was, he bottled it up and moved on. He suspected this would be an ongoing thing and that he should probably get used to it. All he could do was inhale… and exhale.

Just as the sun set beyond the mountains and the moon began its ascent in the sky, Link met his rival on the bridge for another battle. All they did for a solid minute was stare each other down, each one trying to intimidate the other. The Bulblin king appeared to have at least taken some damage from their last encounter, Link noticed, for one of his horns was severed in half.

"We meet again, boy," it stated, breaking the silence at last with an evil smile.

Link smirked, "You would face me again after your defeat during our last encounter?"

The beast laughed maniacally, throwing its head back in fits of hysterics, "You got lucky, boy! Don't think you'll win so easily this time!"

"You talk too much," Link ended the conversation as he raised his sword and kicked Epona forward with haste, the creature opposite him following suit.

With their first pass, the hero swung his blade at the king, only to meet with one of two shields the fiend had come prepared with. It laughed as the young man's arm bounced off the armor punitively. They reached the end and turned their mounts around.

This time, King Bulblin took a forceful swipe at him, but he ducked just in time. As they passed each other, Link noticed that his enemy did, in fact, have its sides intelligently guarded, but it had left its front completely open.

As Epona turned around, the hero pulled out his bow and when he came closer to the troll, he let out a quick shot. Despite the creature's swerving, the hit was successful, and Link could hear its whimper as he passed by.

With another go, King Bulblin expected another arrow to come his way, so he had his warthog run an even crazier path than it had previously. Link fired a round and just nearly missed the brute. Seizing his opportunity, the overgrown Bulblin thrust his shield into the young man's side in hopes he would lose his balance and fall off the edge of the bridge. The hero grunted as he collided harshly with the wall of the bridge upon impact, but was able to keep his stability atop his mare.

One more pass was all it took. Link concentrated on the ogre's disoriented actions, anticipated his next move, and fired.

The beast staggered about helplessly before its idiotic boar plowed into the wall, sending its rider into the lake below. Upon contact, Link had noticed that the Bulblin king had dropped something that shone in the moonlight. He dismounted Epona and approached it, discovering that it was a key to all the locked gates around Hyrule Field, making their trip to Kakariko much easier.

After retaking the saddle, he charged ahead of the cart carrying those he was to protect, using his bow to take down all the Bulblin archers that plagued the road with flaming arrows.

After unlocking one of the gates farther down the path, three large boars each carrying two Bulblins assaulted them from all sides. The woman from the bar kept the wagon moving, hoping to get through the field quickly and outrun the enemies. Link kept up with their pace, and the monsters matched it, riding up alongside them both.

The hero cut down the mindless hoard with his blade, knocking the riders from their mounts swiftly.

As he was dispatching the last of the green creatures, he looked ahead to the carriage to see a huge avian predator flying above it, eager to attack. Link kicked Epona's sides harshly as he readied his bow and prepared to take down the colossal bird. He let an arrow soar and he watched as the flyer fell to the dirt.

There wasn't a moment of respite as more and more Bulblins stormed them. All he could do was keep swinging his blade in every direction to take down the enemies that had flanked them.

They travelled through a narrow passageway that was very quiet, entirely _too _much so. When he had thought the last of the enemies were gone, a flaming projectile suddenly flew past his ear and made contact with the flammable wagon, instantly setting it ablaze.

He gasped in shock when he heard Ilia's screams of fear. He did the only thing he could think of – he reached into his pouch, pulled out his boomerang, and sent it flying. He knew from many years of having to start fires that air only made the flame bigger, but it was the only choice he had and all he could do was pray that the gale boomerang's magical powers could bend the laws of nature.

Luckily, or by the Goddesses, the flame was whisked away with the strong gust of wind.

He momentarily sighed in relief as the entrance to the village was now in sight. Just as they were about to cross the small bridge, another massive bird swooped down and took a swing at him. He grunted as the flying monster scratched bitterly at the flesh of his left shoulder. Boomerang still in hand, he hurled it at the winged beast, sending it to the ground in a whirl.

They were so close now; the locked gate was only twenty or so feet away.

He could hear the hoof beats approaching him again from every angle; these Bulblins were relentless. Two warthogs with four riders assaulted him from either side. Just as one was preparing to shoot the cart protecting Ilia and the Zora prince, Link sliced clean into its chest and dispatched of the archer gracefully.

As he turned to his other side to deal with the remaining annoyances, an arrow suddenly met his chest from somewhere unexpected. The impact of the shot forced him off the back of his steed and he landed on the grass with a loud thud.

He gasped for air as the wind was forced out of his lungs. For a moment that felt like an eternity, he could do nothing. His lungs ached for air and his chest was on fire. It felt as if a burst of searing flames had erupted beneath his skin – it was excruciating.

Getting cocky, the Bulblin that had fired the shot made its way over and stood above the downed hero as it prepared another projectile. It placed the arrow on the bowstring and pointed the tip directly in the young man's face. It laughed as it looked down at its successful hit. What a stupid creature, leaving itself open, he thought.

Taking a second to summon the strength, he took in two deep breaths in preparation of what he was about to do.

In one fluid motion, Link grabbed the bow that the mindless creature had aimed at his head and turned it against it, bashing the weapon against the monster's skull punitively, rendering it unconscious. The others of its kind soon took notice and dismounted their pigs to surround and attack him at once.

Before they could even assemble, Link pulled back and released the string on the knocked-out Bulblin's bow three times fast, each arrow piercing one of the trolls in turn. He whirled around and met the blunt side of the bow with another Bulblin's head, and another behind that one. Two more projectiles later, and all the foes had been eradicated.

He threw the enemy's weapon on the ground and let out a long, pained breath as he gazed down at the arrow sticking out of his chest. It was up high enough that it didn't puncture his heart or his lung, but it was still agonizing.

"Link!" he heard the deeper voice of the woman call out as he spun around.

He noticed that his mare and the cart were stopped in front of a locked gate.

"Open that gate, honey!"

Link clutched his chest as he sprinted as quickly as he could over to the sealed entry. After opening the way to the village, the hero turned around to remount Epona when the older woman caught sight of the arrow in his flesh.

"Link, honey, you're hurt!"

He winced as he threw his leg over the saddle, "I'm alright. Let's just hurry and get the Zora boy to safety."

There was worry in her unfamiliar eyes, but she nodded and spurred her horse onward nonetheless.

* * *

_**To push the boundaries of thinking and all reason.**_


	16. The Best Medicine

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 3/22/13 – Polished, added narrative._

_This chapter was revised as of 5/29/13 – Minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 16: The Best Medicine

**.:.**

"Renado!" Link shouted, banging loudly on the door to the sanctuary, "Mister Renado!"

He grimaced slightly as the pain from the arrow in his chest increased, and he instinctively grabbed at his shoulder with the opposite hand.

It was well into the night by now, Renado along with all the children were most likely fast asleep. He was determined to get the Zora boy cured, though, not only because he promised the ghost of the Zora queen, but because it meant so much to Ilia.

"Link, honey, come sit down. Let me wake up the shaman, you're hurt," the woman from the bar offered as she got down from her seat in the front of the carriage.

He didn't listen to her. "Renado!" he bellowed again, "Ren…" his voice trailed off and he could be heard sucking in a pained breath.

Fortunately, he could suddenly hear rustling from behind the door, and moments later a rather disheveled looking Renado appeared – he had obviously been sleeping. He looked disoriented at first, eyes half-lidded and a bit glazed over from sleep. After he took in the sight of the one on his door step, however, he shook himself awake.

"By the Goddesses, Link, let me get you inside and-"

"No," he interrupted, "There's a Zora child that needs your help in that wagon," he turned and pointed to the cart that Ilia and the boy were still inside of.

The shaman looked between the two for a moment, unsure of what to do.

"But Link, my boy, you need tending to as well. I'll see to the child aft-"

"No," he stated more firmly this time, the strain evident in his voice, "Please…"

Renado sighed at the hero's stubbornness, but mentally commended his true level of selflessness. The older man hurried to the wagon where Ilia was watching over the Zora like a hawk. He lifted the boy up into his arms and began carrying him to the inn, the woman and Ilia following close behind. When the young girl hopped out of the cart and caught a glimpse of the man who had escorted her, she gasped and covered her mouth with her hands.

"…Link!" she shrieked.

He hadn't moved from the door to the sanctuary since Renado stepped through it – he had been in a bit of a pained daze. The sound of Ilia's voice caught his attention and he shuffled over to her as he said, "Don't worry about me, Ilia."

A perplexed look instantly swept over her features, "Ilia…?" she repeated confusedly.

Link scolded himself mentally as he remembered that she had no recollection of her name or anything of the sort. Maybe it would be a good thing and trigger some of her memories, he then thought positively.

"Ilia…" she whispered, "That's… my name?"

He nodded slowly, obviously still hurting.

"How…" she furrowed her brow, "How do you know my name?"

"Link! You better get your injured self in here, honey! Pronto!" the loud voice of the barmaid could be heard from indoors.

He inwardly sighed in relief at the interruption; he hadn't had a clue what he was going to say to Ilia. Besides, his mind couldn't really focus on that anyway. He clutched at his chest and started for the door to the inn. When his best friend didn't follow him, he turned around and met her gaze.

She could tell what he was going to say, "I'm um… going to stay out here and calm the horses. I… I like horses…" she stated rather quietly and morosely as she made her way over to the mares.

He watched her leave for a moment until it became unbearable to stay standing. He opened the door to the inn with his left arm as movement with his right had become intolerable due to the arrow being predominately on that side. As he opened the door, a warm breeze blew across his shivering body – it felt nice.

The room was empty; he supposed the others had gone upstairs to tend to the sickly Zora boy. He didn't feel up to tackling the staircase on his own, and honestly, he wanted their attention to be solely on that of the child until he was healed and well, so he decided to take a seat on one of the wooden stools nearby.

He slinked down into a chair near the wall, leaning his back against it in an attempt to relax. He sighed when he found it to be rather uncomfortable, and looked down at the projectile protruding from his upper chest.

"Just when I think you can't get any stupider," he could hear that familiar voice whisper from his shadow, remaining out of sight.

"You act like I get myself hurt on purpose," he replied quietly, not wanting the others to hear him and think he was talking to himself.

"No, you idiot, not _that_. Well, getting shot with the arrow was stupid too, that's true. But I'm talking about not letting the old guy fix you first! That Zora boy can wait! If it wasn't for us, he wouldn't even be here!"

"'_Us_'?" he raised an eyebrow, casting a side glance at his shadow.

"Ugh!" the imp groaned, "You know what I mean!"

"And no," Link continued, "The Zora boy couldn't wait. Who knows how long he's been sick; it very well could be a matter of minutes with his life, Midna… I'm strong enough, I can wait."

He couldn't see it, but Midna rolled her eyes, "Fine. If you're so careless and so quick to throw your life away, then go for it. I'm not gonna be there with you on your death bed crying and feeling sad."

He heard her, but he said nothing. She could see from her viewpoint that his eyelids began drooping.

"See! There you go already, dying on me! I still can't understand your moronic Goddesses. Honestly, what were they thinking? 'Yeah, let's pick this random guy on this random farm that likes to put himself in dangerous situations and almost gets himself killed over and over again as our hero!' I mean, seriously! Light dwellers are so… dumb."

"Midna, I'm not dying," he mustered a small chuckle at her outburst, "Just… hard to stay awake."

"That's how it starts! But you wouldn't know that because you're so _stupid_!" she screamed.

The hero couldn't help but smirk, even in his delirious state, "I think… you've finally lost your mind, Midna."

She huffed cantankerously, but just as she was about to say something else, she could hear footsteps coming down the stairs at a rapid pace.

"Link?" the deep voice of the shaman sounded from midway down the steps.

"I'm here," the young Hylian tried to speak up, but his voice came out relatively soft.

Renado made his way over to where he heard the quiet sound come from, and he took a moment to look the hero over. He was leaning against the ligneous wall behind the stool he was seated in, his head cocked to the left and his eyes closed. If the older man hadn't heard him speak just moments ago, he would have assumed at first glance that he was a goner.

He was slumped over, an arrow in his chest, and he wasn't moving. Renado felt bad for the youth, forced to go through so much at his age and forced to put all others before himself. He hadn't known Link before knowing him as the hero, but the children described him as putting others first for as long as they'd known him, which for most of them was their entire lives, so perhaps the latter wasn't forced but instead simply an admirable quality that not many possessed.

"Let's get you upstairs so I can see to your injury," Renado stated calmly.

Link opened his eyes and looked at the healer, "What about the Zora?"

"Do not fret over him, he will be alright. Come, it's time to consider your _own_ wellbeing for a change," he replied, extending a hand to the hero.

He stared at it momentarily, unsure if he should take it or not; he wanted to be completely sure that the Zora boy would be alright before _he_ was looked after. When Renado's stern gaze did not falter, the young man grasped his hand and shakily got to his feet. Link quickly felt the pain intensify as soon as he straightened out his back, grimacing as he did so.

As they approached the staircase, the shaman asked, "Do you need assistance?"

The hero started up the stairs without a response at first, taking a moment to reply with: "Nah, I'm alright. If I start to fall though, it would be nice if you could catch me," he glanced back at Renado with a smirk and a slight chuckle, doing his best to lighten the mood and to show him that he was holding up just fine.

The wise man couldn't help but smirk himself; Link always appeared to be in good spirits, no matter the situation at hand.

As they ascended the wooden staircase, Link held onto the banister with his right hand while the other clutched his throbbing chest. Renado pointed him to the room that he had prepared for him at the end of the hall, which required passing by the corridor in which the sickly boy he had escorted to the village lay. The door was ajar, giving Link the opportunity to peek inside. The Zora didn't look better, but he didn't look worse either.

The long-haired man nudged him forward to his room where he lay down on the small bed. He sighed as his head sank into the ivory pillow, letting his body relax on the soft cot. He watched the shaman as he gathered a few tools, pulled up a chair, and sat at his right side. Unknowingly, Link closed his eyes as it became difficult to keep them open.

Neither of the men in the room had heard the tiny footsteps approaching the end of the hall until the one creating them spoke up ever so quietly, "L-Link?"

The drowsy hero opened his eyes a slit and looked at the small boy in the doorway who appeared to be dumbfounded. His azure eyes were wide in terror, his small frame frozen in place.

"What is it, my boy?" the wise man asked after a few moments of silence.

All the child could do was raise a stubby arm, pointing at the figure on the bed in panic. Link knew the arrow was what was frightening him.

Over the last couple of months since all this hero business had started, the timid young lad had seen the man he considered his brother injured on a few occasions, but most times he was already nearly healed by the time he saw him. Witnessing a projectile sticking out of his chest was probably overwhelming to his adolescent mind.

"I'm alright, Colin," Link began, motioning for him to come closer and he did so slowly.

"But-But there's…" he pointed again, "It's… it's i-in you…" he started sobbing quietly.

Link hushed him, "I'm going to be just fine…" he had to stop to take in a deep breath, the action sending a sharp pain through his chest, "Mister Renado is going to get me all better really soon… okay?"

Colin nodded as he wiped his nose with his forearm.

The shaman decided to change the subject, "What are you doing up at this hour, Colin? Were you not just sleeping?"

"I was," he sniffled, "But I heard a whole lot of noise, so I looked outside and I saw Epona… and then I saw Ilia!" he turned to Link, excitement bursting through his tone. "But…" the enthusiasm was quickly replaced with sorrow, "She was acting funny, Link. She acted like she didn't know me… Why?"

The young man sighed, taking a minute to decide what his next words would be. He wanted to tell him the truth of the situation, but he didn't feel physically able to; he felt as if he could lose consciousness at any moment.

"How about we talk about it tomorrow… alright?"

Colin nodded a bit somberly until he suddenly remembered the other reason he had come into the inn.

"Ilia was talking about a sick boy, too. Is he okay?" he inquired worriedly.

"Yes, he has passed through the worst of it. As long as he rests, he should recover in due time," Renado replied in a reassuring tone.

The small, blond-haired boy smiled, "I'm glad. She seemed really worried about him."

Once the shaman was done preparing what he needed, he spoke up again, "Why don't you get back to bed, Colin. It is late and we might need your help tomorrow with the boy."

His face lit up, "Really? You'll need _my_ help?"

Renado nodded.

Colin smiled eagerly and then turned to leave in a rush. He stopped abruptly at the door and whirled back around when he remembered his injured brother, "Are you sure Link is gonna be okay?"

Renado nodded, "Yes, my child, now go get some rest."

Colin didn't seem convinced, but when the healer repeated himself again more firmly, he nodded and was gone in a flash.

The older man smiled slightly as he turned back to his patient, "That boy is quite fond of you."

Link couldn't help but smile in return, "As I am of him. I've known him… his whole life."

"He's a great lad. A bit timid, but always eager to help. Hyrule needs more people like that."

The hero could definitely agree with the truth in that statement, but he wasn't left time to ponder it as the shaman suddenly told him to brace himself. He explained briefly that he was about to remove the arrow and that it would be painful but that he would do it as quickly as he could.

Link couldn't help but feel frightened. He had felt pain before, sure, but just _how_ painful was the removal of an arrow from one's body? He didn't want to think about it.

Renado offered him a small, rolled up cloth to place in his mouth – a way for him to act on the pain without hurting himself. He prepared himself as best he could by thinking of home and everything that made him feel at peace. It would be over soon, he kept telling himself. He relaxed his muscles, closed his eyes, and concentrated on inhaling and exhaling very slowly, all of the things the shaman told him would help.

None of them worked.

He could feel the older man shove something into his flesh just below his collar bone and right beside the arrow. He groaned loudly, biting down as hard as his jaw would allow into the cloth in his mouth. His face contorted into a grimace, his eyelids shut as tight as they could and his every muscle tensed painfully as he felt the foreign object being extracted from his chest.

The shaman said he would be quick, and perhaps he truly was, but to the hero it felt like decades of endless torture. The agony of having the projectile taken out nearly tripled that of being shot with it in the first place. He clenched his fists at his sides, grabbing onto the blankets beneath him with all his might as the arrow was removed.

Once he was free of it, it was almost as if it took his very life along with it. He let out a long, agonized breath and every part of his body went limp. The rag fell from his slack jaw, his muscles turned to jelly, his hands released their hold on the covers, and his head fell to the side, the only sign of life being his slow, ragged breaths.

He was completely still, appearing as nothing more than a doll or a body devoid of a living soul. The pain was excruciating, and keeping his brain awake was nearing impossible.

Renado took the cloth and dampened it in a nearby basin, using it to dab the hero's forehead as he spoke calmly, "I know it aches, but are you alright otherwise?"

He breathed, focusing on what the healer had said and how he was going to muster the strength to respond. "Yes," he whispered.

The shaman discarded of the arrow and quickly began tending to his wound, knowing he needed to act with haste so that the hero didn't lose excess blood. He winced as the alcohol on his open flesh was excruciating, but he endured it mutely.

Renado could see Link struggling to stay conscious and decided to start up conversation. He didn't want the hero to pass out in fear that he wouldn't wake up.

"Who is this '_Ilia_' that Colin spoke of earlier?" the older man questioned as he glanced over at his patient, continuing his work all the while. He had an inkling that this was the same girl he had known to be his long-time friend Bo's daughter, but he wanted to be sure.

Link swallowed hard, "She's… She lives in Ordon with us."

"I see," there was silence, "Is that all?"

He fluttered his eyes open just slightly in order to look at the shaman as he replied, "She's always been like a sister to Colin…"

"Oh? And what about you?"

The sandy-blond haired young man thought for a moment, "She's… my best friend."

"Mm…" was all the wise man said as he continued cleaning out the deep puncture wound to prevent infection.

When he could see Link drifting off again, he pressed on, "I can tell that she is very important to you."

He exhaled slowly as he concentrated on speaking, "She is."

"Tell me about her."

"She's… smart, funny, sweet… at times a bit angry and temperamental… but she's… so beautiful…"

Renado noticed the sudden smile that the hero couldn't fight off at the thought of his childhood friend, but he also noticed his difficulty in staying conscious was not lessening.

"I need you to stay awake, my boy. Talk to me and concentrate on our conversation."

"I'm trying, Mister Renado…" he mumbled.

The shaman cleared his throat, the weak sound of his voice tearing at his heart, "Tell me, why is it Colin said Ilia was acting as if she didn't know him?"

Link opened his eyes ever so slightly and replied directly, "She lost her memory."

Renado frowned as he reached for a needle and prepared to begin sewing the arrow wound shut, "That's terrible news… I am very sorry to hear that. Although, with as close as you and her sound, I'm sure she'll come around soon just by being in your company."

The hero scowled at the unpleasant feeling of the sharp needle piercing his skin repeatedly, but it was much more bearable than the cleaning. "I hope you're right…"

It was silent for a few moments; Renado could see in his eyes that something was on his young mind. All Link could think about was Ilia and how much he missed the real her.

"She… Before I left the village, she… told me she loved me…" he mumbled, grief evident in his tone.

The older man turned from his work and looked at the troubled boy as he continued, "She told me she loved me and I said nothing back… and now she can't even remember who I am."

Link wanted so badly to break down; it would have been the perfect time, but he simply couldn't find it in himself to waste so much effort on his own emotions.

As wise as the old shaman was, he was at a loss for words – he had never had a loved one completely forget about him before. He had felt loss in great amounts in his life, but he couldn't fathom the weight that undoubtedly was constantly on this young man's shoulders.

"I might understand how you feel," the healer began as he resumed his stitching work, "I lost my wife, and Luda lost her mother, five years ago. She had fallen terribly ill, and no one in the village knew how to aid her. We sent for the medic of Castle Town, but he never arrived and she soon passed on.

That is why I decided to become the shaman this village needed, and also why Luda is so eager to follow in my footsteps. I decided that I never wanted anyone to go through what myself and my daughter had to go through, so I began learning the ways of medicine and tending to others as best I could. I've had many people, and creatures, come to me over the years, and I have learned a lot. I find myself feeling guilty with each passing day. If only I had learned these things sooner, then maybe I could have…" he shook his head, dismissing the thought.

Link was silent. He wanted to say something, anything, to make the kind man feel better, but he was simply at a loss.

"You don't have to say anything, my son. I only told you that so you would know that even though you have to endure many hardships and sometimes you might feel like you are alone, I am always here for you to talk to - about anything."

Link couldn't help but smile, "Thank you, Renado… for everything."

"There's no need for that, dear boy. With everything you're doing for everyone else, it's about time someone started doing something for _you_."

The hours of the night went by quickly, mostly due to the fact that there weren't many left by the time the shaman began his work. They talked about trivial things after that, keeping the hero awake as his wound was sealed shut. Once he was done with that, he noticed a few deep scratches on Link's left shoulder from the flying monster that had attacked him. The cuts were terribly dirty from the beast's claws, so the older man started cleaning them out as the sun began rising in the sky.

"Renado?" Link spoke up.

"Yes, what is it?"

"I was wondering," he continued rather quietly, still low on energy, "What was that… _thing_ you used earlier when you took out the arrow?"

Renado reached onto a nearby table with his free hand and picked up a strange, spoon-like tool, showing it to him, "This goes beside the arrowhead and pulls it out as a whole piece. This is why I was so shocked when you told me previously that you had removed an arrow from your calf by simply pulling. You must pray to the Goddesses because that truly was a miracle that the head didn't get stuck in your leg," he finished with a stern glance as if saying, '_do not do that again_.'

He winced as he recalled how it felt hours ago when that device was lodged in his chest along with the projectile, "I understand… But what am I supposed to do if I am shot with an arrow again? Leave it?"

"You come to me as quickly as possible."

"What if I can't?"

The shaman furrowed his brow, confused as to why he would be asking this, but after contemplating it he supposed it made sense. He didn't know exactly what being the Goddesses' chosen hero entailed, but considering how many times the young man had come to him injured already, he could tell that, unfortunately, it was likely to happen again. The least the older man could do for him was help him be prepared to care for himself in case he was too far to get to the village.

"If getting to Kakariko is truly not an option and you are shot with an arrow," he sighed, hoping that would never be the case, "the first thing you do is pray that it pierced you well enough to come out the other side."

Link grimaced at the thought, "Why would I want that?"

"Because then all you have to do is snap the head off and you can pull the rest clean out. But if it doesn't come out the back, you would have to make it," he finished bluntly.

The hero almost wished he hadn't asked. He was silent for a moment, watching the healer clean the gashes on his shoulder out of the corner of his eye as he thought about how awful it would be to have to do that. He hoped it would never happen because he wasn't so sure he could do it, and he doubted that Midna would help him.

"I can only imagine how hard it is out there, but you just have to be always on guard," Renado added, hoping to make it sound a bit more positive.

Link didn't say anything because he knew it would be futile. No one could ever _truly_ understand all the things he's had to do thus far. Sure, Midna had witnessed them, so maybe she would be a better judge than anyone else, but she hadn't had to physically _do_ any of it.

He wasn't complaining, he just wished he had someone he could talk about it all with. Besides, the imp was cruel and cold-hearted; she would never sit down and have an actual conversation with him, as much as he wished it. Although, he couldn't help but notice that she had recently been _slightly_ nicer to him. Maybe she was finally starting to come around?

The next thing he knew, it was dark outside again; he must have fallen asleep after the discussion with Renado. He knew he was tired, but he didn't even remember falling asleep, or maybe he just passed out from the events of the day prior. Whatever the case, the hero's much-needed rest was cut short once again by the very same pesky girl he had just been thinking had finally warmed up to him.

"Let's go already, you lazy wolf! Just because you're dumb enough to get yourself shot with an arrow doesn't mean you get to use that as an excuse to lie around for days on end! You've had a few hours of sleep, that's more than you deserve. We need to go get that last Fused Shadow now! Let's go!"

He was usually wrong about most things, he had come to find out.

* * *

_**Which was the best medicine... the remedies of the shaman or the comfort of loved ones?**_


	17. When It All Catches Up

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 5/3/13 – Polished, added narrative._

_This chapter was revised as of 5/29/13 – Minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 17: When It All Catches Up

**.:.**

It was the first time Link truly stood up to Midna.

She had been pestering him for hours to get up and go as soon as possible, and when he had flat out told her that he needed more time to recover, she had said she didn't care. At that point the hero simply turned over, closed his eyes, and ignored the girl's incessant nagging.

She continued on for quite some time even though the longer he ignored her, the angrier she had become, but he stood his ground nonetheless. Eventually - thinking the young Hylian had fallen back asleep - his companion retreated to the shadows, finally allowing him to _actually_ rest.

The next morning he was woken up by Colin who was eager to make sure he was alright.

"Good morning, Link!" the young boy's voice sounded as soon as the sun's rays started pouring in through the small window.

Link opened his eyes and blinked a few times, adjusting to the light in the room. When he fully awoke, he saw Renado sitting to his right and Colin standing to his left.

"Are you all better?" Colin asked.

The hero smiled slightly, "Yes… I told you I would be, didn't I?" Although, that wasn't _entirely_ true.

He still felt rather weak and there was a dull, but prominent, throbbing pain in his chest. No doubt he _did_ feel better than he had previously, but he still wasn't feeling up to returning to his task of retrieving the final Fused Shadow.

Colin grinned in return and nodded happily.

Link turned to the shaman, "Is the Zora boy well?"

"He is getting better progressively, the more he rests. Although, I wanted to ask you, do you know the fate of his mother?" Renado inquired seriously.

The young man suddenly looked disheartened as he remembered the late queen.

The healer went on, "Her welfare consumes him. He has been mumbling deliriously about her almost constantly…"

Link looked down, avoiding the gaze of the other two in the room as he thought of what to say. He knew he would have to tell the child eventually, but perhaps he could put it off just a bit longer; he hated being the bearer of bad news.

The shaman studied him for a moment, realizing that he knew something he wasn't ready to share, "I can see the knowledge grieves you. No need to divulge it just yet, I would think."

The blond boy perked up, "I'll stay with him until he's better! No matter how long it takes!"

"Is that so?" Renado smiled, "Thank you, Colin."

The little boy grinned from ear to ear; being given the opportunity to help anyone gave him immeasurable joy.

Link appeared to be in a daze as the older man looked him over. His eyes were half-lidded and they weren't focused on anything. He had bags underneath his eyes and his breathing was very sluggish.

"Link, my boy, are you feeling alright?" Renado questioned, placing a hand on the Hylian's shoulder.

He looked over, blinking a few times slowly before answering, "Yeah, I'm fine."

No one had noticed Ilia enter the room until she made her way over and stood next to Colin beside the cot and said, "Um… Link?"

Everyone turned to her, acknowledging right away that she seemed shy and nervous. It broke Link's heart to see her acting like this around him; she had never been timid as long as he had known her, even when they had first met.

Her gaze fell to that of the bandage on the hero's bare chest momentarily before it fell even further to the blankets covering him, obviously struggling with making eye contact.

"I just wanted… to tell you thank you," she began, at the end finally being able to return the young man's stare.

Link shook his head in an attempt to protest the thanks that he felt were unnecessary, and as he was about to say something, she continued.

"No, I needed to tell you thank you," she looked at him earnestly, seeming truly upset, "You were so kind and so brave to help someone you didn't even know, and you even got yourself hurt… I'm really sorry you got hurt protecting us…"

The hero shook his head again, "There's no need for that," he exhaled, "I would do it again in a heartbeat."

Ilia looked at him confusedly, "That's… very sweet… If you're so kind to complete strangers, your loved ones must be very fortunate," she said with a smile.

The room fell silent. Ilia didn't understand why everyone seemed so put off by something she had intended as a compliment. The young girl felt the tension, although she wasn't sure why it was there, and decided to take her leave, "Well, I hope you get better soon… Thank you again, for everything."

Link watched as she turned and left, his heart aching more than he ever thought it could. He closed his eyes and let out a hopeless sigh as Colin looked at him despondently.

"Hey, Link, about Ilia," he mumbled quietly, not wanting to upset his brother-figure any more by the topic, but his curious mind had to be put to rest, "I guess it's true, what they said about her…"

The young man looked at him for a moment, thinking of a way to word it gently, but Renado stepped in before he could even open his mouth.

"Yes, she has lost her memory, Colin, and regaining it will be no simple task."

The blond boy frowned, significantly discouraged by the shaman's words. He was smart enough to have already come to that conclusion on his own, but there was a part of his adolescent heart that had still hoped it was all a joke.

"But it will be alright, child," the wise man continued, "If we just give her some time, I am certain that Ilia will find her heart again."

He looked at the lad with a half-hearted grin, but he didn't seem uplifted by his words much at all.

Renado went on, "So, Colin, I'd like to ask you to stay in this village until then. It is our turn to show the courage that you have already displayed."

"You mean it?" Colin beamed.

The shaman nodded with a smile. The small boy looked to Link for a nod of approval as well, and when he got it he grinned so wide his cheeks must have ached just before darting out of the corridor and in the direction of the Zora's room.

Renado turned to Link, noticing that he was tired and having difficulty staying awake.

"I will take my leave so you can get some rest, my son," he said as he stood from his seat, getting an appreciative smile from the hero as he exited the room.

Just as the hero was about to fall back asleep, a loud, female voice disturbed him.

"Hey, honey! You feeling better?" the woman from the bar asked as she stood at the foot of the bed.

Link opened his eyes and cleared his throat, "Yeah."

"Good! You gave us all quite a scare the other night, especially that little lady in there. Don't you do that again! You hear me, honey?"

The hero smiled at her caring nature despite her not even knowing who he was. As that phrase came and left Link's mind, he was left with a frown as he realized that was most likely how Ilia must currently feel about him.

There was a moment of silence before she spoke up again, "Oh goodness, look at me, honey, I haven't even properly introduced myself!" she stated as she made her way over to the side of the bed where she extended her hand, "Call me Telma."

Link smiled as he returned the gesture, "Link."

"I know your name, sweet pea! These folks around here can't stop talking about everything you've been doing! Nice to see there's still hope here. What hope there is in our kingdom is frail and dying… but there's still a group trying to do what it can. And I'm a member of that group," Telma explained as Link listened intently.

It eased his spirits to hear that there were others in this vast kingdom besides himself that were trying to bring peace back to Hyrule.

The woman sighed as she shifted her weight and placed her hands on her hips as she continued, "I may just stay here a bit longer. I need to see you get back on your feet again, honey. I'm still worried about Ilia, too, and… Well, never mind about the rest."

She had a bit of a look of longing on her mature features as she gazed down the hallway of the inn. From Link's point of view he couldn't tell if she was looking at someone or something, or just staring into the distance – he knew that look though; he had made it many times himself.

She turned back to him suddenly, "Link, I want to see you again at my bar, you hear me? The bar is actually a kind of safe house for my friends."

The young man smiled at her upbeat personality; it was good for him to be around people like that when he spent so much of his time in frightful places and situations.

When Telma turned to leave, Link grabbed a hold of her forearm and said, "Wait."

She turned to look at him, "What is it, honey?"

"I just wanted to say thank you," he responded sincerely, looking her directly in the eyes.

The barmaid raised an eyebrow, "Whatever for, sweet pea? I should be thanking you for getting yourself hurt just to escort us here in one piece."

"No, I would take another arrow if it meant keeping everyone safe. I wanted to say thank you for protecting Ilia. I don't know how she came to you or when or anything, but thank you for keeping her with you and watching over her. If anything had happened to her and I was too late to save her… I would never be able to forgive myself," he spoke genuinely though a bit dismally, "I know she can't remember anything right now, but I believe that she will regain her lost memories in time, and honestly, even though it doesn't feel like it at the moment, something much worse could have happened to her than this. So… thank you."

Telma looked down at the young man, perplexity in her myrtle green eyes for a moment until they softened to show something Link couldn't pinpoint. She appeared to be shocked at his words, but happy to hear them.

She smiled down at him, "You're somethin' else, honey, you know that?"

Link chuckled, embarrassed, "I'm not so sure."

The older woman headed for the door, stopping momentarily to say: "If you ever need anything, stop by. I'll be waiting for you, honey!" and with a wink, she was off.

The last thing the hero remembered doing before sleep consumed him was smiling.

He vaguely recalled the shaman coming in sometime later and re-bandaging his wound, but he was so out of it he could hardly even tell what was going on. The imp that took residence in his shadow soon put an end to his relaxation, though.

"Time to go," she stated flatly as soon as she saw the young man's eyes open in the middle of the night. Her tone wasn't livid, exasperated, or even aggravated; it was simply _plain_, and that was what confused him the most.

He was puzzled by her unusually calm demeanor, but decided not to question it, "Why do you always insist on leaving in the middle of the night? Can't we wait until morning?"

"No," her answer was swift and absolute, "You bit my head off earlier, so I waited, and now I've waited long enough. You're all better so we can go now."

Link was so confused he could hardly wrap his brain around her words. She had never cared about what he said to her before, and now she was upset over something he had said to her the day prior? He hadn't witnessed his companion show any emotions other than anger and impatience whatsoever, so this was a whole new world to him.

He took a moment to gather his thoughts into words that would make sense, "Midna, you get angry and yell at me all the time, all I did was tell you no. So you can dish it out but you can't take it?" he finished with a miniscule smirk on his handsome features, dancing on the edge of what he had intended to be a tease, although she seemed not in the mood for humor.

She was silent and completely still. Her single, visible eye was fixated on the young man lying on the cot. She was dumbfounded; where did he get the nerve to talk to her like that? All she could think about was lashing out and all the different ways she could call him stupid, but she refrained.

"I mean it, let's go, or else."

Just as Midna was about to retreat back into the shadows to let the hero prepare to leave, he spoke up again - much to her annoyance.

"Or else _what_?"

The two had spent a good amount of time together by now and Link had simply let her control him for too long. He never had been the kind of person to argue or fight with anyone, even when there was just cause, but he also had never been the kind of person to settle for his loved ones being mistreated; he supposed the shaman was right, he didn't care enough about himself most times. So after all the time he had spent with this imp so far, with all her degrading and demeaning words towards the one she was supposed to be helping, he decided it was time he stood up for himself - even if it was only a little.

For a moment, all Midna could do was stare at him. She was at a loss for words, which was saying a lot for her. She looked him up and down, lying there on the bed with that dumb look on his face, thinking he had bested her.

"Or else you can go on your own," she said casually.

The hero furrowed his brow, "Why would _I_ go? It's _your_ treasure, is it not?"

It was steadily becoming more and more difficult for the imp to contain herself, "Because you need it to match the power of the king of shadows. Do you not even listen when the stupid light spirits talk to you?"

Link sighed as he got up to a seated position and threw his legs over the side of the bed, "I don't need to do any of that. Haven't I already pushed back the twilight from Hyrule? Everything is fine now, the twilight is gone."

That was it for her; she couldn't hold it in any longer, "As long as Zant still lives he can spread the twilight again! Don't you understand that? Or are you too thick to grasp anything that doesn't have to do with your _ugly_ goats or that _idiotic_ girl that can't even remember who you are!"

The silence that took over the room at that moment was that of the ear-splitting sort – the kind you'd hear after an explosion that leaves your ears with the incessant ringing of bitter nothingness. Her harsh words had struck a chord in him; she knew it, too, for that's why she had said it.

Noiselessly, the hero stood and started getting dressed.

Midna was cold, she always had been - at least, to Link she always had been - but even _she_ could see how much what she said had hurt him, so she broke the silence.

"What are you doing?"

"You told me to go on my own, so that's what I'm doing," he replied calmly without even a second's pause in what he was doing and without even sparing her a passing glance.

Just like that, she was fuming again. She hadn't honestly meant for him to go on his own, she only said that out of anger.

"On your own? I didn't think you were really _that_ stupid! You _need_ me! Don't you get that? If it weren't for me, you would still be locked away in that cell! You would still be a wolf!"

Link whirled around on his heel just after getting his newly washed and re-sewn ivory shirt on over his injured chest, "Don't you think I know that? But don't pretend this is one sided, _you_ need _me_, too, and you know it," he responded bluntly as he stared her down.

"I know!" she huffed, throwing her hands down in a fit.

The room fell quiet again. Link watched her closely and he could tell her mind was reeling. Her eyes darted around the room, desperately avoiding the hero's gaze. She knew what she had to say next, but she wasn't looking forward to it.

"Ugh!" she shrieked in defeat, "I'm sorry, okay! Is that what you want to hear? I _do_ need you! So, I'm sorry for being mean to you, or whatever. Okay? Is that good enough?"

Each time the corridor fell silent there was a different air about the companions. The first had been in frustration, the second in overstepped boundaries, the third in contemplation, but the last had been in sheer astonishment.

The Hylian's glare softened as he noticed her urgently trying to decipher what he was thinking, and when he said nothing, her patience wore out in an instant.

"Well?"

Honestly, he wasn't sure of what to say. Did she really just apologize, or had he been dreaming? This couldn't truly be the same cruel, little imp he had been with thus far, could it? Up until now, she had been consistently insensitive and ruthless, saying whatever she felt without a care in the world as to how it would affect him. Now she was actually saying she was sorry?

Perhaps this would be a turning point for them. Perhaps he wouldn't have to listen to her calling him stupid every other second any longer. Perhaps they could continue on as friends and helpful partners in this journey instead of as two people forced to work with one another that dreadfully hated each other.

"Well then," the young man began, "I'm sorry, too."

Midna's eyes widened in bewilderment, "What are you sorry for? You didn't do anything wrong!"

"I'm sorry if I upset you with anything I've said."

"…Seriously?"

"Yes."

The imp ran a dainty hand down her face, "You didn't do anything wrong! I said '_sorry_,' so you're supposed to say, '_I forgive you_,' and then we're supposed to leave! But no, you just have to turn it into this big mushy… thing! You really are stupid. Just forget I said anything, okay? Now let's go."

After those words, she took to the shadows again, taking it upon herself to end the conversation. Link simply stood there, completely dumbfounded and motionless, for a good few minutes before he continued getting dressed.

He couldn't understand this girl in the slightest. All he was trying to do was create an even ground for the both of them – give them a fresh slate so they could try getting along better from here on out. Obviously she didn't want that. For whatever reason that he just couldn't fathom, she just hated this world and everyone in it.

He continued to rattle his brain as he slipped on his hero's tunic. Just like before, it had been completely sewn up and clean of any blood. He kept meaning to find out whoever was responsible for getting his clothing so fresh and thank them, but he was always in some pained state and unable to remember.

Once he got fully clothed and gathered all of his things, he soundlessly headed out into the hall, down the stairs, and outside. He hated leaving everyone in the middle of the night again – he was sure they would wake up and worry for him – but when Midna insisted on something, it had to be done.

The air outside had a bit of a chill to it, which was much welcomed by the hero. He couldn't help but feel like he never truly cooled down from the mines, which he was sure wasn't true; it was just something he couldn't shake. He was positive he would never get rid of the feeling of overbearing heat consuming him; it was something he, unfortunately, would never be able to forget.

He felt a sudden breeze blowing from his side, and when he turned toward it he saw the ghost of Queen Rutela before him. He gasped slightly as the ethereal sight was much more alarming through his human eyes, but also more breathtaking. He followed the apparition as it led him through the village, past the sanctuary, and through the graveyard to a secret place he hadn't seen before.

He stood before the clearest, cleanest water he had ever witnessed. It sparkled and shone with the light of the moon and all the stars in the sky. The ghost hovered above an ornate gravestone across the small body of water. He made his way over to it when the late queen addressed him.

"I am deeply grateful to you for aiding my son in his time of need," she began with a smile, "You were right to bring him here. Kakariko Village is a sacred place for the Zora people. It is where we take our eternal rest. My husband in life, King Zora, also rests his spirit here. It is no coincidence my son found his salvation in this place."

The hero's jaw fell slack, but only just so. No wonder this place felt so serene and calm; it was beautiful - a great location for one to sleep eternally should they have the choice.

"That which I have promised you is within this grave."

Link looked down at the headstone, the inscription reading that of the king of the Zoras. Wait… she wanted him to ransack the royal Zora's resting place? It just didn't seem right.

He shook his head, "No, I couldn't…"

She continued, ignoring his protest, "During his lifetime, my husband created garments specifically for the chosen hero, garments that house the abilities of the Zora."

Of its own accord, the stone moved back to reveal the blue clothing beneath. Hesitantly, Link approached them, and with the queen's approval he lifted them from their place in the ground.

"Now, at last, I can join the king in slumber. And yet, my son… He still knows nothing of my death. If you see him again please pass on this message," Rutela asked with a frown.

The hero looked dismayed, "How… How am I supposed to tell him?" he inquired honestly.

She thought for a moment, "Tell him he must not grieve his mother's passing. Tell him she wanted him to be brave and live on as the king of our people. And tell him his mother… loves him without end. Tell him…"

As the spirit slowly faded away, Link sighed in defeat. Why did he have to be the bearer of such horrible news? He knew what it felt like to lose loved ones, to be orphaned; he didn't want to be the one to bring those awful feelings to another.

He stood momentarily, simply taking in the tranquility around him. It was so quiet here… so peaceful.

It reminded him of the spring back home. It reminded him of sitting near the water's edge with Ilia, discussing unimportant things as the sun would set. He remembered how she would talk about the horses, and how she would lecture him for the silliest things; he wanted nothing more than to talk to her now, but he knew he couldn't.

It was when one of the things she had said before he left that dreaded day entered his mind that he broke down.

'_I'll never forget you, for the rest of my life! No matter what happens, you got that?'_

And that was it.

Heroes had breaking points too, and this had been his.

Those words flooded into Link's mind and all he could do was let his body sink to the soft grass beneath him. He sat down and faced the water, just like he used to do with Ilia back home, and he let it all out.

His mind ran rampant as he thought of all the nonsense that had plagued him since that day, that one, _stupid_ day. He didn't even know how long ago that day had been by now; he had no sense of time whatsoever after going through that bizarre Forest Temple and the Goddess-forsaken Goron Mines.

Midna was right, she had been right about everything she ever said about him. Why would the Goddesses choose him? She was _so_ right; they _were_ stupid for choosing him. He didn't have a clue what he was doing most of the time – he had probably only made it this far with a little skill and a whole lot of luck.

He had never been anything special, nothing that anyone would think twice on, and now he was constantly referred to as some chosen hero. He thought he had accepted it before, but as it kept on rising to the surface, he realized he hadn't.

He was told it was up to him to save the world, but how was he supposed to do that? How could he fight some evil being that was capable of turning every living creature into spirits without them even knowing while casting perpetual twilight over all the land?

Oh, that's right, he was supposed to use the Fused Shadow. Like he really wanted anything to do with it after what the light spirit had showed him in Lake Hylia.

After all that, the icing on the cake had been Ilia, of all things. Of all possible things to go wrong, why in all of Hyrule did it have to involve Ilia? She had been his best friend for so long; he had confided in her with everything. She was the one and only person he truly found solace in, and now she wasn't even herself. He couldn't even speak to her now. When he tried, she acted shy and quiet, the polar opposite of the girl he grew up with. He missed her so much.

The pain of losing his parents paled in significance to the overwhelming feelings of just the past month – or two, or three, he had no idea how long it had been.

From Midna's viewpoint, she could have sworn she saw a single tear slide down the hero's cheek, but maybe she was just seeing things.

* * *

_**Bottling things inside can cause them to boil over in a higher intensity than they originated.**_


	18. Drowning

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 5/5/13 – Polished, added narrative._

_This chapter was revised as of 5/29/13 – Minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 18: Drowning

**.:.**

"Honestly, what kind of '_hero_' is afraid of water?"

"I'm not afraid of water; I'm afraid of swimming all the way to the very bottom of this lake. What if the armor doesn't work, or something happens, and I drown?"

"Then I'm sure there would at least be a _couple_ of people that would miss you. Can we just go now? I doubt the dead queen would give you something that didn't work."

The duo argued at the bank of Lake Hylia, right outside the spring that housed the spirit Lanayru. Link had donned the cerulean colored armor before heading to the lake at Midna's behest. The Zora enhanced attire had taken quite some time for the hero to strap on as it required many confusing layers to be put on in a certain order.

There was a tight, black suit that covered him head to toe, save his arms, followed by an unusual pair of short, russet pants, fish-scale-like chainmail, a sapphire tunic, blue boots that doubled as flippers, his typical gloves, a matching cap that resembled his green one, and lastly, a large, golden headpiece that was supposed to fill his lungs with air while underwater – the hero was just skeptical of its abilities.

When Link was young, he loved swimming. He, Ilia, Fado, and the younger children in Ordon would take a dip in the small lake in their village almost daily to cool off. He often impressed the kids with performing flips and leaps and by diving off the roofs of the nearby houses. Holding his breath, however, had never been one of his strong suits, and now he was being told he had to dive to the bottom of the deepest water source in all of Hyrule, trusting that this apparatus would sustain his oxygen.

He knew that the queen of the Zoras would not have given him something that wouldn't do as she foretold, it was just hard to put his life in the metaphorical hands of this unfamiliar contraption. What if there was a limited amount of air it could hold and it ran out when he was all the way at the lake's bed? What if the headpiece fell off altogether and he wasn't quick enough to get it back on in time? All the uncertainties left him uneasy about his task at hand.

Midna rolled her eyes, "Just staring at the water isn't going to magically get us the Fused Shadow."

Link inhaled and exhaled once slowly, preparing himself for what he was about to do. He pulled up the black cloth so it was covering his mouth and nose just before closing his eyes, taking in a deep breath, and diving gracefully into the water.

He swam down only a little bit, not wanting to travel too far from the surface should something go wrong. He still had his eyes closed and was still holding on to the oxygen he had inhaled on dry land. After not much time at all, he stopped swimming and merely floated in place, unsure of what to do.

The imp showed herself, "You're not breathing are you?"

He opened his eyes slowly to look at her, the liquid stinging them slightly as he did so. He shook his head negatively in response to her question. He was simply terrified of the possibility of opening his lungs for a breath and instead filling them up with water.

Midna knew he would run out of air soon and yelled, "Just breathe, you idiot! That's what the armor is for!"

She could see the protest in his expression.

"Just do it!"

He closed his eyes, his body starting to react to the lack of oxygen. He looked up at the surface; it wasn't too far away, and he could still make it if he was extremely fast. He stayed put, though; he knew he had to trust this contraption and breathe through it sooner or later - might as well get it over with.

"Breathe before you pass out, you moron!"

Link shut his eyes tighter as he prepared to take in a breath, unsure if he would get air or liquid. His jaw fell open as his lungs hungrily took in the oxygen that the headpiece provided. He breathed in and out a few times, still not believing that he was able to do so underwater.

He opened his eyes and looked at Midna who was giving him a look of '_I told you so_.'

He had had just cause for doubting the armor. After all, all that was covering his mouth was a plain, black cloth. Sure, his companion had told him that the fish-like headgear was what provided him with the much-needed air, but he didn't understand how it worked.

Perhaps the helmet sent air throughout the cloth in which he could breathe it in? But… that still didn't make sense; water should go right through the fabric. He pushed the thoughts aside, coming to the realization that he was most likely not supposed to know _how_ it worked, just that it simply _worked_.

For a moment, all he could do was swim around in circles at the excitement. The feeling of moving freely and being able to breathe while underwater was indescribable – something he had never felt before. It was like being completely weightless.

Midna soon put an end to his fun, though, and he started descending to the murky lake bottom at her command.

It felt as if he had been swimming for hours – the lake was _so_ deep it seemed bottomless. Nevertheless, he kept kicking and kicking, the pressure of the change in altitudes beginning to give him a severe headache. Sometime later, a small recess came into view that proceeded to traverse even deeper into the earth. He approached it, finding a few Zoras along with air vents and strange rock formations along the bottom.

One of the fish people sold him some water bombs, explosives in which he was told would work even while underwater. He was skeptical, but bought them nonetheless, figuring that if they _did_ do as the salesman said, they would come in handy. As a matter of fact, they ended up showing their use sooner than he thought.

His partner pointed out an area in the wall that looked rather suspicious. Donning his iron boots and using one of the nearby air vents to raise the bomb to the section of the strange wall, he blew it up, revealing the entrance to the Lakebed Temple.

Before entering, one of the Zoras cried out, "The temple inside is nothing but a nest of darkness now! You must not enter!"

Those words made him even more apprehensive than he had been before. He started to worry if he would truly regret entering this place, but he entered it nonetheless.

The first thing he noticed was how cold the water was. He was in a long, dark tunnel with naught but various plants. There were several creatures in the depths that he did not recognize. Once he looked up and noticed that there was an end to the watery cavern, he went for it with haste, avoiding the enemies as best he could.

He emerged in a lightly decorated room with a rather obvious pull lever. He headed for it and pulled it down, pleasantly surprised at the level of ease in this first chamber – perhaps this place wouldn't be so bad after all.

Eleven corridors and fourteen hours later, he had completely changed his mind.

Falling stalactites, jumping insects, the constant sound of running water, a large, circular chamber with a staircase that could be turned in any which direction, turning cogs, dark, underwater tunnels, and his personal favorite, the exhausting iron boots. He had a feeling he had only just begun, and he knew right away that this place was going to be a nightmare.

After being coaxed into a murky, underwater cave by Midna, he would soon find out an entirely new meaning of the word _pain_.

Two large jellyfish plagued this channel menacingly, periodically showing off their electrical prowess in order to intimidate nearby foes. Link timed it so that he swam through when both creatures were far enough away from the wall and each other so that he could slip by unnoticed. However, he hadn't accounted for the strong water current flowing through the passageway.

As he prepared to swim through, the current caught hold of his small frame and whisked him straight into the electrified monster. He gurgled and convulsed as the shock surged throughout him at once. Once he regained control of his body, he felt as if he couldn't move. The jellyfish remained only feet in front of him, ready to strike again, but he was dumbstruck.

"Snap out of it! Move!"

His shadow's call woke him from his paralyzed state. He retreated as quickly as his jumbled brain would take him, which was actually rather slowly. He staggered up onto dry land and let his body fall to the dirt covered slope beneath him.

Midna popped into his line of vision, his cheek on the sand, "So stupid. Are you okay?"

Since when did she care, he wondered in his mind. He was almost fine now; his muscles were still throbbing from the jolt, but he could handle it. He didn't answer her though, for he had yet to find his voice. That shock had left him completely muddled.

"Say something!" she shouted irritably.

He said nothing, but he opened his eyes and looked at her, nodding his head slowly.

The imp sighed as she let her weightless form relax on the ground next to the hero, "You're way too careless for your own good."

Link wasn't listening to her, all he could think about was how intense what he just felt had been. It was obviously painful, and he had no doubt felt pain on numerous accounts before, but this was a whole new kind of agony. The closest thing he could relate it to was when he had first transformed into a wolf – the only similarity being the discomfort in his muscles and the loss of control over his whole being.

He had felt the initial shock enter through his arm along with a burning sensation, where he had accidentally bumped into the jellyfish, and he felt it gradually make its way throughout the entirety of his body. He had felt his muscles pulsing with the beat of his rapid heart which by itself felt as if it could burst from his chest. He had been completely unable to move; even now as he lay on the ground, it felt as if his body weighed thousands of pounds. He could feel his heartbeat slowly trying to retain its normalcy.

He prayed to the Goddesses that he would be swift enough to miss the electrical creatures in the future – it was something he never wanted to experience again.

"At least you weren't wearing those stupid boots, huh?"

Since when did Midna try to talk to him or lighten the mood? Whatever, he was never one to argue with a good thing. In his scrambled state, though, he hadn't understood what she meant.

She noticed his eyes narrow in confusion, "I know you're not _that_ dumb. Think about it, if you had been wearing those iron boots when you got shocked… It probably would have been _way_ worse."

His eyes widened a bit in realization just before he closed them again – his eyelids had grown quite heavy due to exhaustion, not to mention the ordeal he had just endured. Surprisingly, the imp didn't protest and he fell asleep quite quickly.

He woke up sometime later to find Midna still in his line of sight on the ground, but she was staring at his arm.

"Hey you lazy wolf, you finally up?"

Link couldn't tell if he was still dreaming, or if he had bumped his head when that jellyfish attacked him, but why was Midna being so nice all of a sudden? Maybe their talk in Kakariko had struck a chord in her that he couldn't fathom.

He blinked a few times slowly and exhaled as he nodded in her direction. He furrowed his brow, and she could tell that he was curious as to why she had been eyeballing his left arm.

"Uh," she started, "I know the jelly shocked you and all that, but uh… I think you got stung, too. I mean, not that I care or anything, just thought you should know so you don't get yourself killed doing something even more stupid than you already have."

He cleared his throat as he attempted to use his paralyzed vocal chords, "Why…" speaking was harder than he anticipated, "Why would you think that?" it came out a bit slurred.

She raised an eyebrow at his odd behavior, but responded confidently, "Look at your arm."

He had remained all this time on his stomach with his right cheek on the ground, and now he struggled to turn over onto his back so he could examine his arm. It took some time – he felt as if he was relearning how to use his muscles – but he got onto his back and gazed at his left arm in perplexity. The only patch of bare skin between the sleeve of his tunic and the end of his glove was completely discolored and swollen. Oddly shaped lines and spots covered his elbow; they were bright red.

"It's probably not that bad," she said at last.

He looked over at her, "You think it was venomous?" he asked bluntly though a bit mumbled.

"I'm sure you're fine," she huffed.

Honestly, she was a bit worried, but she didn't want to show that to _him_ of all people.

He took in a deep breath as he got himself up into a seated position. She watched him as he sat there for a moment, staring blankly ahead as if either lost in thought or just confused. All was silent for the longest time – at least it felt that way. Midna said not a word as she could tell the hero was contemplating something in his mind.

He had been encouraging himself, telling himself things he needed to hear in order to press on. He did this quite often, more than anyone would ever know; it was the only way he kept himself going.

After a few minutes, Link nodded slightly to no one in particular and rose to his feet. He stood there momentarily, trying to keep his balance as he was instantly dizzy. He took a second to clear his head before he proceeded back into the same watery cavern that he had tried to trek through previously.

This time, he used the iron boots to prevent himself from being swept away by the strong current. He also made sure to stay as far away from the horrifying jellyfish as he possibly could, hugging each wall he passed along the way.

He followed the underwater tunnel upwards into an opening that led into a new room. As he pulled himself up onto the solid ground, a hatch suddenly blocked the entrance he had just come in through and he couldn't see another way out that he could easily reach.

Water came up to his knees in this chamber, and soon after he took a few steps forward, various small creatures that looked like tadpoles began nipping at his legs. He dispatched of them quickly, though he instantaneously realized the arm that had been stung was none other than his sword arm. It didn't make fighting impossible, just highly uncomfortable.

There was something about this room that he couldn't put his finger on. A putrid stench filled his nostrils immediately, almost causing him to be sick. As more and more of the pesky monsters continued falling from the ceiling, he decided to look up at where they were coming from. What he saw above him was something he did not expect.

A massive toad clung to a large stalactite on the ceiling of this reeking, circular corridor. Upon noticing the intruder, the beast screeched acutely and leapt from its resting place. It plunged to the ground, creating an ample splash as it landed on its great belly. It let out another roar of agitation before sending its minions – or more likely, its babies – after the hero.

He slashed through them swiftly, and as he finished he noticed the superior monster leaping into the air. He immediately knew what this beast was planning on doing. He paid close attention to the frog's massive shadow on the watery floor and quickly rolled out of the way as it landed, attempting to crush the hero beneath its enormous weight.

The fall appeared to hurt the creature more than it intended, however, as it laid dumbstruck on the ground for countless minutes. Link seized this opportunity to hack away at the amphibian's weak tongue that it had splayed out before its face foolishly.

The process repeated once and the hero soon grew bored of it. The final time, he had a new idea.

As the toad opened its gigantic mouth, Link placed a bomb on the end of one of his arrows, placed it on the string of his bow, and released it. The explosive went off in the monster's maw and it once again left its fragile spot out in the open. He sliced at it multiple times until the brute began thrashing around in pain.

Green blood and Din knows what else spewed from the toad as it lived its final moments. It bellowed loudly before ejecting something revolting from its throat. Link gagged at the disturbing sight and the rancid odor.

"Ugh, let's hurry up and get out of here! It smells!" he could hear his shadow yell.

For once, they agreed on something.

He had no intention on touching the object that had come from that creature, but as he looked around the room he saw no accessible way out.

"Just open the chest; it might have something you need to get us out of here."

"You're really going to make me touch that? Did you _see_ where that just came from?"

"Shut up and do it! '_The Goddesses' chosen hero_,'" Midna scoffed, "Yeah right. '_Goddesses' chosen hero_' my a-"

"Okay! I'll do it!"

Reluctantly, and with his right forearm covering his nose, the hero approached the chest. Vile, moss colored slime covered the box containing some unknown treasure disgustingly. Not only did it _look_ repulsive, it _smelled_ even more so. Something extremely useful had better be in this crate, the hero thought.

After taking in a deep breath, he threw open the lid to the container in one fluid motion, trying to get it over with as quickly as possible. He peered inside nervously, but much to his delight the inside was completely clean and free of repugnant goo.

He reached in the chest and grabbed out an odd looking device that he wasn't quite sure of what exactly it was. It appeared to be made of silver and copper, and it also seemed like he could easily fit his hand inside. When he placed his hand into it, he found that there was a trigger inside. He pulled it and nearly gave Midna a heart attack as a powered chain with a claw at the end zoomed out of the contraption at high speed.

Link quickly realized what this meant, and he couldn't help but to smile at his discovery.

"Well," the imp placed her hands on her hips in a degrading stance, "That seems like something useful, huh? I told you so!"

"Yeah, yeah," the hero smirked playfully as he continued testing out his new device.

He noticed a rather lavish switch on the ceiling near an unreachable hallway and decided to try out his clawshot – a fitting name, he chose. He released the chain and the claw quickly latched onto the target, yanking his arm harshly as it pulled his body to the ceiling. He grunted uncontrollably at the sheer force of the shot; he had to hold on with all his might to avoid losing grip on the gadget. His weight pulled down the lever and the gates opened soon after.

He grinned boyishly at his accomplishment – this new toy would definitely come in handy.

They continued on and he soon noticed that most of the enemies were much easier to dispatch of with the clawshot at his disposal. A burning sensation had been constantly present in his left arm where he had been stung by the jellyfish and he noticed he was feeling much more sluggish now, but he pressed on.

The center chamber with the rotating staircase gave the hero a pulsing migraine in confusion. Deciphering the puzzle of that chamber was something he did not feel like tackling. He avoided that room as much as he could, venturing on, instead, through other doors he had not yet been through.

He realized that his new device would not only cling to the obvious red and gold plates, but it would also latch onto vines, helping him cross a massive abyss in one of the corridors. He wasn't sure where it led, considering this place was already at the lowest point in Hyrule, but he knew that he didn't _want_ to be sure.

One of the most nerve-wracking things on his journey thus far had been hanging from the turning cogs by the chain in his clawshot above the endless chasm in this strange chamber. All he could do was wait as the gears spun him around slowly, seeing nothing but the infinite abyss beneath him. He gulped anxiously as he tried his best not to look down.

More swimming, more spiral water slides, and more of those Goddess-forsaken jellyfish. Link avoided them as much as he could, swimming past them with all haste and getting to his next destination quickly.

When he came into a dank, clammy room filled with water and various levels of walls strewn throughout the pool, he had no idea what he was getting himself into.

He swam about the pool without really thinking at first, until he began to notice that he was seeing the same landmarks over and over again. He was running into dead ends, going in circles, and that was when he realized that he was in an underwater maze, of all things.

After swimming through it freely for quite some time and getting nowhere, he decided to strap on his iron boots and walk along the sandy terrain to explore. He took multiple turns, his sense of orientation already completely off. Perhaps if the water had been clear, or, even better, if the maze had been on dry land, he wouldn't have had so much trouble with it.

The water bit coldly at the sting on his arm and irritated his dry eyes as he strained them to gaze ahead through the murky water.

One turn he took in particular led him straight into a massive, attacking clam. He pulled out his clawshot and shot it into its open shell, extinguishing it quickly. As he turned around, a most displeasing sight caught his eye. There was a jellyfish to either side of him, and they were both steadily moving closer.

He eyeballed them both, contemplating his next move so as to avoid what happened last time. He took out his clawshot, aiming it at the jelly on the left.

"Wait until the electricity around it dies down," Midna offered from his shadow.

He nodded, struggling to see through the cloudy water.

As soon as the electric currents were no longer surrounding the creature, Link pulled the trigger on the shot, sending the claw into the jelly's soft exterior and yanking out its innards, exterminating it instantly.

He then turned to face the one on his right. Noticing that it had gained some yards since he last looked, he aimed his weapon at it precariously, preparing the chain as he pulled back the trigger. He waited for the right moment and let go. This one, however, had been smarter than the other of its kind. The jellyfish had stopped the flow of electricity right before the hero prepared his clawshot, but just as soon as the claw reached the jelly, it lit itself up again.

As if it was happening in slow motion, Link could see it coming. He closed his eyes in preparation after he watched the sparks course through the metal chain, link by link, and into his body once again. He could feel the jolt surge through the veins and muscles of his left arm, through his chest, over to his right arm, down his torso, and through his legs before it reverberated off the iron boots and ran its course anew.

The hero gyrated and quivered in sheer agony, unable to control his muscles as they spasmed in pain. He could feel the current racing underneath his skin and he was completely unable to move or control himself in any way. He couldn't think, he couldn't act; he was helpless. Another nearby enemy noticed this and took its chance to attack the weakened hero.

Another clam had approached by now and was ready to strike. It opened its wide maw and lunged at the electrified hero, knocking him back considerably. The impact forced the golden Zora helmet off of his head, thus leaving him without any oxygen.

He could still feel the shock pulsing throughout his body, convulsing horribly as it ran its course through his nervous system. In his current state, he hadn't noticed that his headpiece had fallen off, but he was beginning to feel the result of losing it. All the air left his lungs in a flash as he had been breathing at a quickened pace, and he immediately choked on water.

Unable to move, he was planted to the sand due to his iron boots. The shock left him immobile; he hardly knew what was even happening. All he knew was pain. He could feel his lungs crying out for air as the edges of his vision began fading.

"You idiot! Come on! Take off those boots so you don't drown!" Midna screeched, but he didn't hear her.

She made herself visible, hovering directly in front of his face, "Link! Snap out of it!"

She watched as the grimace on his features soon turned to lifelessness, and he became still. All he had felt was the burning of his airways as water filled them to the brim. He had watched as the last of his air escaped in bubbles that floated to the surface. At the last he felt at peace, wondering that if this was what death felt like, maybe it wasn't all that bad.

* * *

_**Submerged in doubt.**_


	19. Mixed Feelings

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 5/27/13 – Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 19: Mixed Feelings

**.:.**

"Ugh, you're so stupid!" Midna fumed.

The hero was stuck, unconscious, to the bottom of the pool of water by his iron boots. No matter how much she yelled at him he wouldn't respond or come to, so she did the only thing she could think of.

She gave her hands form – the most she could do in this dreaded world of light since she was nothing more than a shadow here – and began unfastening the boots on Link's feet, cursing his stupidity under her breath all the while. The light of the world she wasn't used to burned her delicate Twili skin when she chose not to be a shadow, but there was no other way. So long as she only gave small parts of her impish body form in short bouts, she would be fine.

When she took his feet out of the boots, however, something happened that she was not accounting for. She had expected him to float to the surface, in which she could easily drag him to some patch of land, but he did just the opposite. His body sank flat to the sand in a slow, but sure, motion.

"Ugh!" she yelled angrily. She should have known he would still sink just by realizing how much he had on him. Not only was he weighed down by his sword, shield, and countless other weapons and items, he was also wearing three layers of clothing, one of which being chainmail.

Her mind started reeling, trying to think of what she could possibly do. Obviously _she_ had to do something because he wasn't waking up on his own anytime soon, at least, not without air in his lungs. She quickly started doing the first thing that came to her mind – removing his sword and shield. She undid the strap holding both the blade and the guard in place, and he didn't budge at all.

She huffed impatiently at the lack of progress but didn't stop in her quick motions; she could only hope she wasn't too late already. She took off the young man's pouch, figuring that some of his stored weapons in there might also be weighing him down. That didn't help, either. Her final idea was one she wasn't looking forward to, but she did it with haste.

She slipped off the blue tunic with ease, but found removing the mail to be a completely different story. No wonder he was being held down, she thought; how did he even move around with this heavy thing on?

Let's just say, she had a whole new respect for him after she was finally able to take off his chainmail and discard it on the sandy floor. His blue cap had fallen off in the process, and she pushed down the neck of the black suit so that it wouldn't restrict his airways.

Much slower than she would've like – but at least it was happening at all – the unconscious body of the hero began ascending in the water. It wasn't quite enough, though, as he had nothing whatsoever that would help him to float. His body was very muscular and his lungs were completely void of air, both of which held him down in the liquid.

Midna didn't know what to do. She was sure she wasn't strong enough to not only get him to the surface, but to then drag him onto dry land as well, but she had to try; it was the only option.

She took in a deep breath – figuratively – and gave her hands physical form as she latched onto the hero's right arm and pulled with all her might toward the surface. She kicked her feet, her ability to hover helping drastically. Being a shadow, the water didn't affect her body in the way it affected Link's.

She winced slightly as moments passed by and her hands felt as if they were on fire; she could hardly stand the light of this world.

When she flew high enough, the hero finally broke the surface, but she didn't hear his body instinctively take in air. She hovered some feet above the water, still holding onto his lifeless form by his wrist. She grunted at how much heavier he suddenly became once he was no longer fully submerged in the water as she slowly made her way over to the first patch of land she spotted.

It was relatively small, and it wasn't where they had entered, but it would do. She groaned as she summoned all of her strength to heave the hero up onto the platform. With the first attempt, she only got his upper half on to dry land.

"Ugh, you _really_ need to lay off the weird goat soup – or whatever you people eat in that stupid village – when this is all over," she mumbled as she continued trying to lift the deadweight with much difficulty.

After a few unsuccessful tries, she was finally able to get the hero fully onto the small land mass. She lay next to him for a moment, trying to catch her breath from the exertion of lifting his heavy form as she rubbed her burning hands. Having pulled him up onto his stomach, she quickly turned him onto his back and looked him over.

There was still no rising or falling of his chest.

"You're not breathing…"

It came out as a whisper; she probably hadn't even realized she said it. She immediately began panicking. What was she supposed to do? She had never been in a position in which she had to save someone's life or anything of that nature; she had no idea what she was going to do.

"You're not breathing…" she repeated unknowingly, "What do I do? What do I do!"

He wasn't taking in air, he wasn't moving, and he wasn't showing any sign of life whatsoever. Her instincts kicked in and she turned him onto his side and patted harshly on his back, hoping to help him cough out some of the water. Being a shadow, she had no way of forcing air into his lungs.

"Come on, come on… You stupid wolf, breathe! Come on!" she screeched as her formed hand hit at his back multiple times.

She turned him onto his back again to see if she had made any progress. She hovered above his chest and listened intently; she could hardly even hear his heartbeat.

"You're not breathing… You're not breathing…"

She sat and stared at him for some time, expecting him to make some miraculous awakening like he always had in the past, but he did nothing. She could feel wetness behind her lashes, but she held them back. She turned him onto his side and began swatting at his back once again – with it being the only thing she could do for him, she had to keep trying.

"You're so… so stupid!" she sniffed, "I swear… if you die on me…" she huffed in between whacks, "I am going to follow you… to wherever light dwellers go in the afterlife… and kill you again for this!"

She was practically sobbing by now, "You're not breathing…" _smack_, "You're not breathing! I've warned you time…" _smack_, "and time again…" _smack_, "I said… '_You're going to do something stupid…_'" _smack_, "'_and get yourself killed_!'" _smack_, "Now look at you!" _smack_, "What am I supposed to do! You're not breathing!"

She didn't stop for quite some time. She continued yelling at him, despite knowing her words fell on deaf ears, and continued hitting his back. When she suddenly felt his upper body convulse a few times followed by coughing, her jaw nearly dropped to the floor as she sighed in relief.

"You idiot! You gave me a heart attack!" she barked, but he was still out of it.

He coughed and coughed, water coming out of his airways in large amounts each time. Midna helped by keeping him on his side, ensuring that he wouldn't choke on the water he was coughing up.

When he appeared to be done, she laid him on his back and looked him over. He was shivering violently, his eyes were shut tight, and his chest was rising and falling much too slowly and shallowly – it was nearly impossible to even spot the motion.

"You're breathing… You're fine… What do you need? Are you okay?"

He said nothing; his teeth were chattering so loud she was sure that the jellies in the water could hear it.

"Can you say anything? Let me know you aren't gonna die on me?" she asked quietly, taking a seat at his left side and staring at him worriedly.

He still said nothing. His hearing had yet to return to him, the same with the rest of his senses. He was barely conscious at all; all he knew was that he was cold and his lungs and airways ached miserably. He had no idea where he was, what had happened, or why he was feeling so lousy.

"Link! You damn stupid wolf! Say something!" Midna shouted agitatedly, throwing her fists down in a fit.

When she noticed his eyes fluttering and trying to open, she quickly wiped the tears from her shadowy face - even though he probably wouldn't have been able to see them anyway. The hero opened his eyes just a slit and looked over at the imp.

"Wha…" his voice was unsteady, "What… happened?"

It came out nearly inaudible, and it was so mumbled it was hard to understand, but Midna was so overjoyed she couldn't hold back the smile. That is, until she realized it was there and she quickly erased it – she didn't want _him_ knowing she was glad to see he was alive.

"You almost drowned… you idiot," she stated, though the last part came out as a whisper.

"I…" he closed his eyes, trying to remember, but nothing of the sort came to him, "Where…?"

"Did you really lose that many brain cells down there? We're in the temple at the bottom of Lake Hylia. Did you honestly forget that or are you pulling my leg?" she questioned honestly, not knowing what nearly drowning typically did to a person.

He was disoriented beyond belief; he had no recollection of any of the more recent events. He could remember his imp partner, and after she mentioned the Lakebed Temple, a few memories of why he was there reentered his numbed brain.

Midna's worry resurfaced when she noticed him trying to get to his feet.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," she said as she placed her hands on his chest, trying to ease him back down, "What do you think you're doing?"

His body was trembling something awful beneath her hands, and she noticed how slow and pitiful his attempt was at getting up as he continued and said, "Fused Shadow… Have to… defeat Zant…"

In his mind, all he knew was that he had a job to do and that he was wasting time when he should be getting it done. He was so confused that he really had no idea how dire his situation was.

"No, Link, listen," she got directly in front of him and stared into his glossy, blue eyes, "You're hurt, you nearly drowned and you're freezing. You need to lay back down. We'll go get the Fused Shadow when you're all better, okay?"

At first he protested, but once he realized he was unable to get to his feet anyway, he lay back down on the hard floor at Midna's demand. She only wished there was something she could do to warm him up. His green tunic was in his pouch that remained at the bottom of the pool; no doubt it would be soaked. She _did_ notice that the black suit and the brown pants he had on that the Zora queen had given him dried up fairly quickly, but it still wasn't the best at keeping him warm.

His lips were a light shade of blue and his skin was drastically pale. When she noticed him sluggishly and unknowingly scratching at the sore spot on his left arm, she immediately remembered the sting he had received from that jellyfish previously. She just hoped it wouldn't have any other effects on the already downed hero.

As if on cue, Link inexplicably started gagging, unable to turn over on his own.

"Oh geez, are you gonna be sick?" Midna asked nervously.

He didn't respond, but she got her answer when he didn't stop heaving. She panicked, but quickly turned him onto his side towards the edge of the land they were on. He coughed and hacked, spitting up bile into the already murky water.

"Ew!" she shrieked, turning her head away from him in hopes to keep herself from being sick as well.

When he was no longer coughing, she asked, "Are you done?"

He grunted.

"I'm going to assume that means '_yes_,'" she said to herself as she eased him onto his back once again.

She sighed as she looked him over; he looked terrible. She instantly regretted not doing something about that nasty sting on his arm before.

'_You think it was venomous?'_

'_I'm sure you're fine.'_

That's what she always said to him whenever he would get hurt. She never found herself feeling guilty for it, but she was beginning to now. All that he had endured up to this point… just to save a kingdom of people he barely knew, and a selfish imp that treated him horribly.

Sure, he was also in it to save his friends, but it was more than that – it had always been more than that. All she could think about was how much better off he would have been all this time if she hadn't been constantly pushing him past his limits. Maybe if she had let him rest longer, let him heal up completely before setting out once again, maybe he would have gotten hurt less. Her gaze fell to that of the floor in shame.

"Mid…na?"

The rattling, weary voice snapped her from her thoughts. She looked over at him, signifying she was listening as intently as she could.

"Where… did you say we were?" he responded with his eyes closed tightly as he licked his dark, chapped lips.

She cleared her throat, "We're in the Lakebed Temple, Link. Don't you remember?" she almost called him stupid, but thought twice this time.

He opened his eyes slightly, taking a moment to glance half-lidded around the cold room.

"Lake…bed…" he whispered to himself, obviously trying very hard to trigger the memories, "I remember… a jellyfish?"

Midna smiled at his recollection, "Yeah, a jellyfish. Do you remember what happened?"

He frowned distinctly, "No… Am I better now? I need to… get Fused Shadow…"

The imp's guilt returned tenfold. Had she imprinted this in his mind that no matter how poor he felt, he had to press on?

"No, you're not better. Do you feel better?" she could tell by his physical appearance that he was most certainly _not_ feeling better, but she wanted to hear what his answer would be in his currently disordered state.

She could see the thought process displayed on his face like a book, "No," he stated flatly, "I feel… sick… and cold. I just feel… bad."

She noticed the perplexity on his features just before he spoke up again, "What… happened?"

Midna sighed, not really wanting to relive it. How selfish of her, though, she thought. After all, it wasn't even _her_ that had experienced it firsthand. She then thought he might still be too disoriented to even grasp what she was about to tell him, but he continued asking, and she figured it was better to tell him than to sit around waiting for him to remember it all on his own.

"You were, uh… stung by a jellyfish – that's what that mark is on your arm," she pointed as he struggled to raise his left arm and examine it, "You were electrocuted, and then you… nearly drowned."

As if her words had physically pressed a button in his brain, the memories flooded back.

He remembered the first encounter when he was stung, how he felt the burning sensation on his arm along with the terrible feeling of electrical currents flowing through his limbs. Then he remembered the second encounter, when he had been trying to fend off two of the jellies at the same time, only to be jolted by an overwhelming amount of electricity. His muddled mind couldn't make sense of something, though: why had that time been so much worse than the first? Oh, he suddenly comprehended; he had been wearing the iron boots _and_ using the metal clawshot, which had been two major conductors of the voltage.

He cursed himself inwardly for being so rash – maybe Midna was right about him being careless. Suddenly he realized, though, the last thing he remembered was being stuck under the water, how in Hyrule did he get on dry land?

"Then… how did I get up here?"

Midna smirked as she remembered her now-funny attempt at saving him. It had been truly pathetic.

"It wasn't easy," she admitted, "But I carried you up here."

He looked down at himself, realizing he was in naught but the Zora's suit and pants.

"Is that why…" he breathed slowly, still having a bit of trouble with it, "I have none of my things?"

"Oh, for Din's sake!" Midna cursed, suddenly remembering that she had left all of his belongings at the bottom of the pool of water.

Link mustered a quiet chuckle as he said, "Don't worry about it… I'll get them later… when I'm… better," as the words came out, they got quieter and quieter as he sluggishly closed his eyes again.

Midna worried for him more than she ever had up to this point. She never dealt with sickly people, or people having gone through some trauma, so she had no idea what nearly drowning, being electrocuted, and being stung by a jellyfish did to a person. He could have seriously damaged his body and organs, poison from the sting could have been flowing through his veins at any given moment, he could have even been _dying_ for all she knew. She wouldn't tell him – at least not yet – but she wanted _so_ badly to help him, she just had no idea how.

Once they got out of this horrible place, she promised herself she would be patient and let him get completely healed up before heading out to face Zant.

He either fell asleep or involuntarily lost all consciousness once again, but either way, she let him rest. It worried her, but as long as she could see the motion in his chest – even though it was at random intervals and definitely far from how it should be – she knew he was alive, and it eased her anxious mind, even if just a bit.

He had given her such a scare; she didn't even know she was capable of possessing such powerful feelings of concern for light dwellers. She supposed she felt so strongly because the regret and guilt she didn't know she had had finally surfaced. She didn't understand, though; she hadn't felt bad _while_ she had been harassing the hero all this time.

It didn't matter anyway, because even though she _did_ feel remorseful for how she had been acting, she wasn't going to tell him that anytime soon. She simply had too much pride; she didn't want to admit that she had been in the wrong. How was she supposed to tell this human of the light – her _servant_ – that she had been cruel to him and regretted it? No, it was simply absurd.

Maybe, she thought, if he did something to _really _impress her, to show her that he _really_ deserved her apology, then she'd tell him she was sorry. She laughed inwardly at the thought; she knew that was never going to happen.

She sighed as her ideas on the matter flip-flopped. She had just been thinking about how bad she felt for treating the young man poorly, and yet, as she let her thoughts run on their own, they retreated back to their old ways.

Perhaps she would just have to settle for the fact that she couldn't turn off her cruel nature in a day, but that she could work at it slowly, for his sake.

"Mi… Midna?"

The quiet voice brought the imp back to reality as she looked over to the barely conscious hero.

"What?" she asked evenly.

He smiled. It was miniscule and hard to spot, but it was still there, "I just wanted to say… thank you… for saving my life…"

His words were slow and mumbled, showing the obvious fact that he was still far from well.

Midna didn't even take a second to contemplate what she would say; her natural instincts dictated her reply.

"Pf! Like I really had a choice. You think I actually wanted-," she stopped herself, took a moment to rethink her words, and changed her response, "…You're welcome."

* * *

_**To find him ignorant, or to find him noble?**_


	20. First Impressions

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 5/31/13 – Polished, added narrative, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 20: First Impressions

**.:.**

The days went by slowly, until they eventually turned into weeks.

Midna had let Link have as much time as he needed to recover, and he had spent those days doing just that. He slept most of the time, having difficulty in keeping himself awake anyway. His body had been completely drained, in every aspect of the word.

He was ill from the jellyfish sting, which caused him to be sick on numerous counts. His left arm burned horribly where the jelly had left its mark. His muscles were sore from the electrical current that had surged his entire being, which made any movement at all quite the task. His whole body ached, his lungs and throat burned, and he had a splitting headache from when he came within seconds of drowning.

He had remained rather disoriented and confused the whole time as well. The imp didn't know if he had suffered something worse internally than what she had witnessed, or if his slow recovery was simply due to not having the proper treatment. She decided that _both_ were probably true.

He often complained about being cold, yet he had constantly remained covered in a layer of sweat. His condition perplexed Midna to no end, because even though he was consistently perspiring and felt warm to the touch, his skin was slightly pale and his lips remained a light shade of blue.

Breathing had steadily become easier for him - as the days went on - but it was still a chore. The imp could hear a rattling sound in his chest whenever he inhaled a shallow breath. He had tried to get to his feet countless times while complaining about feeling worthless and wasting time, but wasn't able to make it. His muscles were weak and whenever he lifted his head he was instantly lightheaded and dizzy.

Near the end of the week, Link had had enough of lying around. He was tired of feeling useless and getting nothing done. So, after Midna had helped him catch some fish to eat, he made one final attempt at standing on his own. It was a slow, difficult process, but it was successful.

Doing her best to help, the imp had already brought up the lighter weight things she had left on the sandy floor of the pool of water. Carrying the chainmail, the sword, and the shield had been demanding, but she was able to bring those as well as his blue tunic, his pouch, his cap, and his Zora helmet to the surface. The only thing she couldn't lift on her own was the iron boots.

"Thanks," the hero said genuinely as Midna handed him each of his things in the order of which he strapped them on.

"Well, thanks for not _dying_ on me," she responded coolly.

Link smiled crookedly, chuckling slightly as he finished suiting up. He took in a deep breath as he looked down at the water he was about to jump into. Honestly, he felt afraid. His last two encounters with pools of water had nearly cost him his life; who's to say it couldn't happen again?

Midna noticed his apprehension, "Scared about going back in there?"

He looked over at her. Not having realized that he was so easy to read, he smirked and scratched the back of his head nervously, "Uh, yeah, kind of."

She rolled her eyes, doing her best to refrain from saying something cruel, "You'll be fine."

He didn't seem convinced.

"Even if something happens, I'll be here to save your careless butt again!"

Link smiled, "Alright. Better to just get it over with, right?"

Midna nodded optimistically.

The hero nodded, too, reassuring himself inwardly that he _could_ do this. He closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, and with a running start, dove gracefully into the water despite his aching body – ignoring pain had recently become one of his fortes.

The cool liquid felt nice on his enflamed, stinging arm, but didn't feel so nice to the rest of him. His partner had told him time and time again over the past week that he had been running a terrible fever and that he needed to cool down, but he felt just the opposite. He had been freezing and shivering the entire time, and this cold water wasn't making it any better.

He blinked his eyes a few times, readjusting to opening them underwater as they burned slightly. It was hard to see through the muddy water, but it didn't take long for him to locate his heavy, metal boots still in the same spot at the bottom of the pool.

Sand had covered them up slightly, and a large clam occupied the area intimidatingly. He refused to be surprised by any more of these water creatures again. He pulled out his clawshot, got close enough so that the clam would open its maw, and pulled the trigger, ending the annoyance in an instant. He then picked up the iron boots and stuffed them into his weight-removing pouch before picking up where he had left off in terms of the maze's completion.

He still felt a bit befuddled and slightly dizzy, making the puzzle of this underwater labyrinth even more impossible to get through. The murky water served its purpose perfectly: making the maze that much more difficult to navigate by not allowing the young man to see more than ten feet in front of him. Midna helped as much as she could, but she could hardly see either, and she never _was_ one for problem solving or riddles anyway.

It took hours, but they eventually made it out of the labyrinth and back onto dry land. He felt like they were getting close now; at least, he hoped so. He wasn't looking forward to facing whatever evil guarded the last piece of the Fused Shadow, but he _was_ looking forward to getting out of this wretched place.

His feeling proved to be right as only a few corridors later they found themselves back in the main chamber with the twisting staircase where they unlocked a large door. It opened to reveal a tiny room with naught but a pit in the center. Link approached the edge and looked down, no end in sight.

"Whoa," he heard his shadow as she made herself visible to get a better look, "Gotta go down there, huh?"

Both were silent.

How was he supposed to jump down there? He had no idea what would be waiting for him when he did, and that terrified him. It could be monsters waiting to get him in the dark, it could be more water with no way to escape, it could be flat land that would likely crush him when he landed, or it could be a bottomless abyss like he had seen in some of the previous corridors in this temple.

He didn't like it, but he knew he had to do it. He closed his eyes and breathed a few times slowly, preparing himself. Without another word, he kicked off of the solid ground and leapt feet first into the narrow pit.

It was a long drop, but he fell silently. The cold wind rushed past his ears loudly; he wouldn't have been able to hear himself scream even if he had been. He opened his eyes as a few minutes passed by of endless dropping. He looked down, a reflecting surface slowly becoming visible beyond the dark curtain. He quickly shut his lids and inhaled as soon as he realized what it was.

He landed in a pool of water creating a rather large splash as he did so. When he resurfaced, his teeth began chattering something awful.

"It's f-freezing," he said to his shadow as she showed herself.

She sighed, "Well… let's just get this over with then, okay?"

"W-What over with? W-What am I even s-supposed to do? W-We're stuck in h-here," he shivered dismally as he motioned to the tiny confines they were in.

"No, it looks like you're gonna have to go down there," she pointed.

He looked down, seeing nothing but a straight drop with an infinite amount of water beneath him. It was murky, so he couldn't even tell what was below the surface.

He sighed as he closed his eyes briefly before looking back up at Midna, "You kn-know I hate this."

"I know. Let's just get it over with. When we're all done here I'll let you go see your fat goats or something, sound good?"

He gave her a look, but she just smiled in return. He ignored it, trying to focus on his task at hand. She could see him thinking for a moment before situating the black cloth over his mouth and nose, taking in a deep breath, and diving under the water.

He swam straight down, his eyes tingling with the contact of the dirty water. It was nearly impossible to see, but he continued his descent. The water was strangely calm, without any currents or motion whatsoever.

Diving straight into the unknown was quite possibly the most unnerving part. At any moment, any manner of monster or demon could jump out and attack him, or his Zora tunic could give out and he could drown; there were an infinite number of things that could go wrong, and that put a knot in the hero's stomach.

Eventually, a sandy bottom to the seemingly-endless pit came into view. Eight tall pillars formed a large circle around the center of the depths, and the farther he dove, the more he began to notice a strange, wavering object that he could just barely see. He squinted, desperately trying to make out what the bizarre thing was. It flowed ominously in the water's smooth fluxes, and the closer he got, he was able to see a blue current slowly ascending its length.

Soon after, it became apparent that it was some sort of translucent tentacle, and the hero's chest immediately grew heavy upon sight of the ill omen. He swam to the side, creating distance between it and him.

Once he got close enough to the ground, he began strapping on his iron boots. The moment his heavy feet met the sand, a round object that appeared to be an eye made its way up the interior of the tentacle, glaring at the young man threateningly from the top. After a few minutes, it quickly descended back into the earth, and all was quiet. He was confused, but he knew that something was coming.

Link stumbled a bit as the ground began to shake, and only moments later, more and more tentacles rose from the floor until, finally, a large, round body with a gaping mouth revealed itself at the base. He stared at it momentarily, that knot that had formed in his stomach instantly becoming more apparent as he contemplated what he would do. He didn't know what this creature was – and he didn't want to know – but it gave him a terrible feeling.

He quickly noticed that the same eyeball he had seen before continuously traversed the length of each tentacle in turn, but that the creature didn't do much else other than that.

Going out on a whim, he decided to try shooting for the eye with his clawshot. He wasn't sure if it would even do anything, but he had to at least attempt it; there wasn't much else he could do as getting close to the monster was not something he was willing to try.

With the first shot, the claw flew right past the target, missing it only by a hair as it moved out of the way. The second time, however, the claw latched into the gooey appendage and dragged the eyeball right back to the hero's feet. Grossed out, and a little surprised at the outcome, he quickly reached for his blade and slashed away at the large orb, causing it to retreat soon after. With having taken a few more hits to its weak spot, the body recoiled back under the sand.

"Well, that was easy, huh?" Link vaguely heard his shadow say at his side, but he paid no attention to her.

He _knew_ it couldn't be that easy. This beast had something else up its sleeve, he knew it, and he was doing his best to try and prepare for it – whatever it was.

The ground suddenly shook even more violently than it had before. He struggled to keep his balance during the tremors and he strained his eyes as the sand began to form a giant cloud where the monster had been. He squinted, still unable to see anything, until it abruptly decided to reveal itself.

Link's eyes were wide in utter disbelief and his mouth was agape in shock. The creature slithered out of the ground, showing itself to actually be at least ten – maybe twenty – times larger than what it had showed him before. It was a massive eel, or water snake, with a maw so large it could swallow the hero whole without even having known it did so.

Fear swelled up in his gut in such an intensity that he had yet to feel up to this point. His breath caught in his throat and he could have sworn his heart stopped beating. The Goddesses truly believed he could take down a monster this massive and horrifying? This beast was _enormous_, and not to mention they were underwater – an element in which Link was sure this beast was more than very accustomed to; it could probably move about in the liquid in directions and speeds that the hero couldn't even hope to attain – what chance did he have?

Midna's jaw practically hit the floor, "Woah… Holy crap that thing's huge! Well, have fun with that. Don't die!" she screeched in her own brand of fear as she retreated back to his shadow.

For a moment he simply stood, watching the massive beast swim around the gigantic arena, mustering up the courage to face it. He began unfastening the iron boots, thinking of his strategy while he did so. He remembered seeing the eye he had been attacking previously somewhere on the monster's back, towards its head, and he decided that's what he would aim for.

He kicked off the ground and headed straight for the gargantuan eel with haste. The muckiness of the water gave him a bit of a harder time, but the creature was so huge that it was impossible to miss.

He met up with the side of its head, pulled out his clawshot, and aimed for the eye on its back. Luckily, he was successful on the first shot. The claw latched onto the beast's eye and dragged him onto its back. Holding on was quite the task as the creature's skin was slimy and wet and its motions were chaotic and rapid, but once he was stable, he unsheathed his sword and lashed out on the weak spot. With having taken a few slices, the sea serpent bucked the small pest from its back angrily before picking up its pace.

That didn't stop Link, though. He followed behind the monster, trying desperately to catch up with it, but it was futile. When he realized he would never be able to match its speed, he decided to meet it head on. As soon as the creature noticed its enemy directly in front of it, it began trying to suck him in. The force of the current was unbelievable; he kicked and kicked while he flailed his arms, the muscles in his limbs throbbing horribly. With only a few feet in between him and the monster's giant teeth, he broke out of the whirlpool, diving upwards and clawing at the eyeball on its back only to be forced spiraling off of it once again.

After regaining his composure, he swam up alongside the beast one final time. By now it had quickened its motions and had become quite infuriated. Link concentrated as he aimed his clawshot, pulled back the lever, and after a few attempts, gripped the eyeball and pulled out his blade. He stabbed it multiple times mercilessly, the demon's dark blood blowing back into his face with each hit. He closed his eyes and hacked away at it until, finally, it began thrashing around the chamber in an irate and confused defeat. He held on as long as he could until the eel threw him from its back and he collided harshly with one of the stone pillars.

He grimaced slightly as his bones omitted a few popping sounds upon impact. The creature continued whipping around the room, taking down the architecture as it did so, until, finally, it collided with the wall and finished what the hero had started.

Link inwardly sighed in relief as the water began slowly draining from the grounds. He remained stationary, riding the current down until it was completely gone and he was left sitting at the base of the broken column. From his position in the sand, he watched as the monster turned into millions of particles of twilight before they combined to form the last piece of the Fused Shadow. His eyes followed his partner as she swooped over to grab her treasure.

Her one visible eye grew wide in wonderment; she finally had it. The hero stood up, despite his body's slight protest, and walked over to his companion. She turned to him, an overjoyed grin on her impish features.

"I finally have it!" she stated at last, after taking countless moments to wrap her mind around the fact that this was real.

She noticed the young man giving her a pained expression; she could tell that the recent events of this underwater prison had really taken a toll on him, "Now, don't resent me for all I've put you through. I _need_ this thing!"

He smiled ever so slightly, happy to have finally gotten it for her.

"Besides, we have to do something about Zant, the one who thinks he is the king of shadows. His power is a false one… I'll prove it using these!"

When Link didn't say a word, Midna continued.

"So… I've done everything I needed to. I, uh… I'm sorry for dragging you all over the place with me," she admitted, looking at him momentarily as she tried to figure out how he was feeling.

After he took some time in silence to decide what he would say, he returned her gaze appreciatively. He remembered the last time she apologized, he had said he was sorry as well, and that had enraged her to the point of taking back her apology. He didn't understand it one bit, but he decided to avoid that this time.

"There's no need to apologize… I'm just doing what I have to," he replied earnestly.

She would have smiled, but she didn't want him to think she liked his response. Why couldn't he just say he forgave her and move on? He always had to make such a big deal out of it. Maybe that was just the nature of light dwellers. She was brought out of her thoughts as she noticed how down-right terrible the hero looked. He had an agonized expression on his features and he was slightly unstable on his feet.

"Hey… are you alright?" she asked, hovering closer to him.

He met her gaze, "I'm okay," he lied as he straightened up, "Let's just get out of this awful place."

She knew he wasn't telling her the truth, but she was just as keen on getting out of here as he was, "How about we take you to Kakariko and let you heal up for a little bit before we go get Zant."

He raised an eyebrow in her direction, genuinely perplexed at her offer. She never wanted him to take any time away from their mission, but now she was offering it freely. He didn't know what to say, but he sure wasn't going to argue. He nodded slowly and eagerly and she smirked slightly in return. She then created a portal and they both entered it quickly, excited to breathe the outside air again.

The dark specks of twilight placed him before the spirit spring of Lake Hylia, and a sense of relief washed over him in a flash. He had been feeling extremely sick and just plain horrible; he was thrilled to get to take some time to relax and have Renado help him to feel better. He smiled, also excited to see Ilia and the children again. He turned around, his head lowered as he thought of what he would say to his best friend when he saw her.

His heart nearly leapt from his chest when he turned and was faced with what he did not expect. His jaw dropped and he gasped in shock as he looked up at someone, or something, he did not recognize. He didn't know what, or who, it was, but it instantly instilled fear in him. It screeched loudly as the hero looked up at the strange mask covering its face in panic. All he could do was stare at it numbly; he was paralyzed.

He remained facing it as he could hear the spirit, Lanayru, emerge from the spring water behind him. The light in the area and the warmth on his back told him that Lanayru was trying to fend off this demon with its power. He closed his eyes and stumbled a bit at the sheer force from behind him, but the creature before him did not even budge.

It simply stood, unaffected in the least. Link watched confusedly, expecting it to be harmed by the light spirit's power, but it was completely useless.

Neither the hero nor the deity had seen it coming, but they were both knocked back by a sudden inexplicable force that the stranger had omitted without even the slightest movement. The young man screamed in pain as he was shoved to the ground and rendered unconscious.

Lanayru was overpowered as well, as the spirit was forced to give up its light once again. Twilight covered the surrounding area in a dark shroud, and soon after, Link was transformed into a wolf.

"Zant!" Midna yelled angrily from the ground.

She had been powerless to him as well, though, as she was forced to hang by her wrists in mid-air. The imp watched helplessly as the pieces of the Fused Shadow that they had worked so hard to obtain floated out of her grasp and over to the false king.

"Did you honestly mean to take an ancient and withered power like this and turn it against me?" his voice was deep and demanding, "You are a foolish traitor, Midna. Why do you defy your king?"

That statement enraged her, "My _king_? You, who do nothing but abuse the magic of your tribe? You must be joking!"

"How dare you!" he shouted, a newfound rage in his previously level tone, "Are you implying that my power is… our old magic? Now _that_ is a joke!"

Without so much as a twitch or even a glance, Zant forced Midna through the air and threw her harshly to the ground, dirt billowing up as she landed.

"This power is granted to me by my _god_!" he yelled infuriatingly as he began conjuring some kind of power near his chest, "It is the magic of the King of Twilight, and you _will_ respect it!"

The imp was still hurting from the impact as she struggled to turn around and face her enemy. The recent noise brought the hero back to consciousness, and as soon as he realized that the stranger was preparing to blast his companion with some unknown magic, he leapt through the air bravely to prevent that from happening. Instead, the blast hit him right in the head and with a yelp of pain, he was sent flying back to the dirt.

Midna went over to him hurriedly, "Link!" she cried, placing a hand on his snout worriedly.

She watched as a mysterious crystal slowly embedded itself into the hero's forehead powerlessly, "You stupid, stupid wolf!" she whispered to him in a chastising tone even though she knew he couldn't hear her, "Why did you do that! You should've just let me get hit… You're so stupid!"

She shrieked helplessly as she was once again under the control of Zant's magic. He brought her over to him and he creepily began whispering into her ear, forcing her to listen.

"My Midna… Did you forget? That beast is one of the light dwellers who oppressed our people. No matter how much you may desire otherwise, you will never be more than a shadow in their world. You cannot consort with their kind! But if we can make their world ours, Midna… light and darkness will meet at last."

The imp looked down at the unconscious form of the wolf on the ground, contemplating the usurper's words.

"Our tribe will take back their realm… and sweet darkness will blot out this harsh light! And that, Midna, is why…" he went on, trying to persuade her to be on his side. He raised the mouthpiece on his headgear, breathing eerily on the imp as he finished, "…I need you."

His breath was cold on her skin, and it smelled rotten, but she couldn't help but consider his words. She wanted nothing more than for her people to be able to live freely, not confined in the twilight realm. She wanted to spread the twilight over all this land, so that she and her tribe could be free, could have all the land they wanted. But… what about Link and all his friends?

"Not just for me, but for all of our people… Lend me your power."

No… this wasn't right. How could she even consider that? After all that the hero had done for her and her people, how could she even think about turning on him? She shook herself free of Zant's clutches and hovered over to Link, standing in front of him to protect him should the false king attack again, and also showing him where her alliance stood.

"So be it…" he stated flatly, "I will return you to the light world you covet!" he screamed furiously.

She hadn't anticipated what would happen next; if she had, perhaps she would have done something differently. The usurper lifted her magically into the air and held her by her wrists over the spring once again, only this time, he gave back the spirit's light.

Lanayru re-emerged from the waters, desperately trying to defend its lands. Even though the spirit hadn't been trying to hurt _her_ in particular, being completely bathed in the light of this realm was enough to end her life. The light burned her skin and all she could feel was pain for what felt like an eternity.

The last thing Link heard before the light spirit whisked them to safety was Midna's blood-curdling scream of agony.

* * *

**_Meeting your enemy for the first time._**


	21. Desperation

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 6/2/13 – Polished, added narrative, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 21: Desperation

**.:.**

The light was warm on his aching body, the fur of his canine form adding to it nicely.

Link was barely conscious, barely had any idea of what was happening, or what exactly had just happened. He could feel that he was hovering in mid-air, surrounded by the comforting sensation of the light spirit. He felt his body being lowered gently until the soft grass of Hyrule Field greeted his paws at long last. He opened his eyes slowly, his head pounding something awful as he shook it slightly to try and clear his vision.

He sighed as his mind finally fully comprehended the fact that he was a wolf once again. Only this time, there was no twilight; he was in the light realm, so how was he supposed to turn back now? He grew frustrated as he realized he would have to wait even longer to rest. He was so tired and still quite sick and hurting; he just wanted a moment's reprieve.

As he fully came to, he was aware of weight on his back and a very weak presence. He was proved right when his ears picked up the sound of heavily labored breathing from behind him. He turned his head, noticing that his imp companion was there and was not looking well.

"Link," he suddenly heard the ethereal voice of Lanayru, "Hero chosen by the Goddesses… Go to the princess locked away in the castle. That princess holds the key that can unlock you from your shadow form…"

He then turned and ran as fast as he could, praying that the princess would know how to help Midna as well. He couldn't explain it, but he was desperately terrified of how lifeless the imp felt to him. She was always full of energy and eager to tease and torment him her every waking moment, and the fact that she felt as if she was barely clinging to life on his back was frightening.

Even though this imp was cruel to him, and had been since the day they met, he would never have wished this upon her. He didn't want to lose her, because even though she made it her every day mission to make him feel worse about himself, he had grown to care for her and he realized that he needed her.

His paws tore at the earth as he kicked his feet to gain more speed and the rain pelted down on his back ruthlessly, not helping with his current sickness in the slightest. He ran through the field, over the bridge, and into Hyrule Castle Town. He knew he shouldn't go where people could see him, and he knew everyone would be horrified, but there was no other way. He ignored the screaming villagers as he raced through the town. He knew without even attempting it that approaching the castle's front gates wouldn't be an option. That was when he remembered something Telma had told him back in Kakariko about her bar having a passageway that leads into the castle; he headed there with haste.

When he arrived, he was pleased to see that the door was left slightly ajar – perhaps it was to let in the cool breeze from the rain? Whatever the case, Link strode inside without even considering the fact that he did not appear as himself.

Screams of terror filled the bar upon his entrance.

"What is that!" he heard a female shout from the back of the room.

"W-Well," a young man stammered, obviously afraid, "it appears to be of the canine class with its-," he continued diagnostically but was cut off.

"It was a rhetorical question, yeah!"

"Strange… it seems lost," another man stated also from the far end of the bar.

When Telma noticed the intruder, she consoled her friends, "Don't you worry about a thing, this sweet Goron here will take care of that monster!"

It was then that a nearby Goron approached him ruthlessly. "Beast!" it yelled angrily, preparing to kick him, "Get out!"

He recoiled, but the creature's strike was swift and true, nailing him firmly in the ribcage. He whimpered as he stumbled backwards and rolled out into the cold, the door slamming shut behind him. After taking a moment to compose himself, he turned and headed back out into the rain, trying to think of another way to enter the castle.

He heaved a defeated sigh as he looked up at the storm, letting the drops of rain pelt against his thick fur. He was trying so hard to get his companion to the princess, but he felt stuck; there was seemingly no way into the castle. He couldn't let her die on him, though.

He glanced back at her, her tiny hands clutching to his coat as her head rested against the back of his neck. Her labored breaths were loud in his ear, and her agonized expression sent shivers down his spine. She was desperate – he needed to find some way, anyway, into that castle _now_.

A sudden, strange voice at his side caught his attention and he whirled around in a flash. It didn't sound like a human's voice, but that didn't make sense - what other voice could he be hearing? That's when he saw Telma's cat leap down from a few crates and look over at him. He could understand words coming from this feline's mouth; how was that even possible? Not only was he an animal but he could speak with other animals? This whole thing just seemed to get crazier and crazier day by day.

Somehow, the cat knew who he truly was. She sniffed him, proving her instincts to be true. She then introduced herself as Louise, and explained that even though she knew his true identity, she was very puzzled as to why he looked the way he currently did.

"Really, dear," she began, "you can't blame the humans for tossing you out, the way you look."

He sighed inwardly; he knew she was right, he just didn't know what else to do.

"Oh… Another patient?" she said, eyeballing the barely conscious Midna, "You certainly are a curious sort."

"…Plea… Please…" he could hear her struggling from his back, and it tore at his heart to hear her voice sound so shaky and weak, "Princess… Z-Zelda…"

The feline thought for a moment before directing them over to the boxes she had leapt down from previously, explaining that through the window they could get into the attic which connected to the castle's waterway. Her last piece of advice was to make sure that the humans didn't notice him, and she was off.

He climbed up a few stacked crates and entered the bar through the small opening. When he emerged, he found himself high above the bar, looking down on the people below. Immediately, he could hear them talking amongst themselves about the strange encounter they had just witnessed.

He entered mid-conversation, "-bit odd, I do say… It didn't seem as if that creature meant to cause any trouble in the least," a scholarly looking man stated.

"Then what else would it be doing in here? Huge wolves don't just roam through populated cities like this, yeah?" a dark-haired woman questioned.

"Perhaps it lost its way. Maybe it lost its pack," another older looking man chimed in.

"And ended up in town? I doubt it. The only wolves I've seen are those on the mountains," the female rebutted.

He began making his way across the first rope he spotted while continuing to listen to their conversation. His plan was to sneak across while they were all busy talking so that, hopefully, they wouldn't notice the giant predator right above their heads.

"Well, honey, you know how worthless the Hylian soldiers are," Telma started, "They just let anything slip passed them these days."

One more rope; he was so close now, he could see the exit.

The younger woman at the table sighed, "Isn't that the truth. Just the other day, I saw one of the guards cowering at one of the resident's house dogs, yeah?"

"How can the safety of this land and its people truly be in the hands of such imbeciles? I dare say that _I_ would be a better soldier, and we here are all quite aware of how positively dreadful I am with conflict," the young man with glasses said.

The ebony haired girl couldn't help but snicker.

"Well, what about that young lad you told me about, Telma?" the grey-haired man inquired.

"You mean Link?" she offered, he nodded, "Oh, honey, he's a fine young man, no doubt a million times braver than these soldiers of Hyrule."

Link's cheeks would have flushed with embarrassment, had he been human, as he stood before the final rope listening to their discussion.

"Yes," the old man turned to the other two at the table who had not yet heard the story, "Apparently he defeated the beast that had been attacking tourists on the bridge while escorting Telma and her young ward to Kakariko Village."

The young woman seemed shocked, "And here I was, thinking Hyrule was empty of men of valor."

"Oh, no," the red haired man shook his head, having realized that he had heard stories of this mysterious character throughout town, "I don't believe he's from Hyrule proper at all. No, my understanding is that he's from the small neighboring province of Ordona."

He started crossing the rope slowly as he wondered, what does where he came from have to do with anything?

"This may sound horribly elitist… but people who do not know the city simply do not know fear," the young man finished.

That statement made Link angry. He was sure, without a doubt, that he had seen more fearful things in his short time being hero than any of these people had in their entire lifetimes. He sighed as he tried to ignore it, never being one to hold onto feelings of bitterness towards others.

He decided he was done listening; he didn't want to hear anything else that would make him have ill feelings towards these people later on. He was sure these were the friends Telma spoke of previously, he figured he would see them again, and he would hate to start the relationship off on a bad note because of something he heard them say when he was a wolf.

He picked up the pace, placing one paw in front of the other much quicker than he was before. Near the end, his back paw slipped and fell off the side of the rope, forcing him to grab on with his front legs. Unfortunately, that meant being spotted.

He heard a female shriek in fear directly below him, "It's that beast again!"

"Get it!" a man shouted.

Din's flame, this wasn't good.

He could feel Midna struggling to hold onto his fur as he scurried along the rope towards the ledge where the exit was located. He didn't even bother to look down as he could hear those below him trying to halt his escape, but they were unsuccessful. Once he reached the ledge, he shuffled his paws from the flimsy rope to the stable floor and pulled himself and his partner up without too much difficulty. He didn't even spare a glance back as he hastily made for the dark archway before them.

"Where's that thing going?" the girl asked.

"That leads to the castle's waterway," the proprietress stated, knowing her bar like the back of her hand.

"That monster is trying to get into the castle? Do you think it's trying to hurt the princess?" the older man suggested.

"It would seem so. What else would a beast want from the castle? Perhaps it is a lesser minion working for some greater evil?" the scholarly man offered.

"No," Telma began, "I don't think that wolf means any harm."

The group seemed confused.

"How can you be sure? It sure stormed through here without a care, yeah?"

She couldn't explain it, she just had a feeling, "But it didn't hurt us, now did it? Just trust me honey, I've got a good feeling that that beast won't be hurting anyone."

"Well, Telma, your feelings usually _are_ right," the older man stated with a smirk.

The younger man with glasses thought for a moment before speaking up, "Perhaps it was trying to find a safe place to hide its young?"

"Its young?" the woman asked.

"Did you not see the smaller creature that clung to its back? It seemed rather helpless and dependent on the wolf. My estimation is that it was simply searching for a safe place for it to care for its offspring."

That was the last of the conversation Link could make out before finding himself falling through an opening in the ground that he hadn't seen coming. As soon as he landed, he was instantly swept off his feet by an overwhelming current of water. It whisked him down a narrow tunnel and threw him into a large, circular corridor. Luckily, Midna had been just strong enough to be able to hold on. He looked back at her, her eyes were closed and her breathing was still strenuous in her weakened state. He knew he needed to hurry.

He pulled down a nearby lever he came across which opened a gate directly to his side. He released the handle from his mouth and splashed into the water, its strong current quickly rendering him unable to control his movements. He tried his best to keep Midna's head above the water, but found it to be a difficult task.

_Just hold on_, he thought, _don't give up yet_.

As a kid, he never had problems with spiders, but he found himself learning to hate them at the start of this journey – they were almost always bigger than him! He dispatched of a few of them as they charged him as swiftly as he could, taking a few swipes from them himself as he was concentrating more on making smaller movements so that the imp wouldn't have such a hard time holding on than fighting effectively.

He used a stick he found on the ground to light fire to the arachnid's multiple webs blocking his path, and when he entered a room with seemingly no way out, he remembered what Midna had taught him about using his senses. He concentrated on using his canine-enhanced eyesight and discovered that he could dig through the floor in the center of the room.

Once he did so, he found himself even farther underground. He immediately recognized this place; it was where he had first encountered his pesky little companion. Who would have guessed back then that he would have grown so attached to her – he wasn't even aware that he had until now. All he could think about was getting her safe.

He traversed up the stairwell, having to use the frustrating ropes as a result of not having Midna to help him leap the gaps. The higher he got, the more nerve-wracking it was to cross the skinny lines, but he pressed on. He had a few close encounters, both from Bulblins trying to shoot him off and from him losing his balance, but they eventually made it to the top and back outside.

He recognized this area all too well also. He remembered how gloomy this place had looked back then, all covered in twilight. Now, he thought, it actually didn't look much better. Perhaps it was simply the fact that he knew the truth of what was going on in Hyrule, but there was something about it that just looked… depressing.

The rain felt like dozens of rocks being thrown at him in a flurry. His sickness was still very present in his body; it had been only being pushed aside and ignored at the hero's will. He ran over parapets and rooftops, battling enemies all the while, until he finally made it to the window that led into the castle that had somehow etched itself into his memory from the last time he had been here.

Luckily, the princess always seemed to leave her door just barely ajar. Was it by mistake, or had she done it purposefully in case he was to return, he wondered. He used all his remaining energy to bound up the stairs and enter the princess' chambers with as much haste as he had left in him.

He looked around frantically, seeing the royalty nowhere in sight. His heart fluttered in panic when he felt his companion slip off of his back and land on the hard ground with a quiet thud. He looked down at her worriedly; she appeared as if she was just barely hanging onto life.

It was then that the Hylian princess placed a dainty hand on the imp's cheek. Link looked up at her in surprise, wondering where she came from as he did not see her only moments earlier.

"Please… Please tell me…" Midna mumbled, "How do we break… the curse on this one?"

Zelda grasped the Twili's weak, outstretched hand as Midna continued, "This… is the one… You need him… to save your world. That's why… Princess… Please… You must help Link…"

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. It was the first time he had witnessed such selflessness from his partner, and he felt horrible about it. As she lay, obviously suffering, all she could ask the princess was for her to help return him to his true form. If only he had been able to speak at that moment…

The Hyrulean princess looked up at the dismayed beast before her as he gazed shamefully down at the imp. She extended her right hand, trying to heal him with the power of the triforce that she wielded, but to no avail.

"What binds him is a different magic than what transformed him when he first passed the curtain of twilight. It is an evil power," she spoke wisely, "Our world is one of balance… Just as there is light to drive away darkness, so, too, is there benevolence to banish evil."

Link listened intently as she instructed that he head for the Sacred Grove that lies deep within Faron Woods. She explained that there he would find the blade of evil's bane, the Master Sword, in which was crafted so that evil could never touch it, therefore cleaving the dark veil of evil that cloaked him. She showed him her hand, telling him that she, too, was granted special powers by the three divine Goddesses. He smiled, taking solace in the fact that perhaps, once this was all over, he would have someone to talk to that would understand his plight.

He didn't want to believe his ears when Midna asked him if he could find the woods on his own. He wanted to tell her no, just to make her stay a little bit longer. He didn't want her to leave him; it tore his heart in two to see her so frail and weak. He couldn't believe someone of such a strong will was giving up so easily.

"Princess… I have one last request…" the Twili murmured, "Can you tell him… where to find the Mirror of Twilight?"

Zelda's eyes grew wide and the chamber fell silent for what felt like an eternity, the only sound being that of the rain pitter-pattering on the window beside them.

"Midna," the princess' voice chimed, "I believe I understand now just who and what you are."

Link didn't understand.

"Despite your mortal injuries, you act in our stead… These dark times are the result of our deeds, yet it is you who have reaped the penalty."

The hero could see in her eyes that she was preparing herself for something, what, he did not know.

"Accept this now, Midna. I pass it to you…"

The Hylian princess closed her eyes as her body began to glow a brilliant golden color. Dozens of bright orbs hovered over Zelda's body, through her arm, and into Midna. The imp seemed shocked and confused as she began floating in mid-air beside the princess, an intense radiance surrounding them both.

Midna looked into the royalty's eyes pleadingly as she shouted to Link, "No! Link! Stop her!"

Zelda met the imp's gaze, her own form no longer enveloped in the light. The Twili continued begging the princess to stop, but it was futile. The glow was warm, and it felt soothing, but the imp did not want what she was being given.

Right before Link's eyes, the miniscule orbs of light escaped the Hylian's body and entered the Twili's, and the princess slowly faded away until she disappeared completely. He had no idea what had happened, but Midna was saved. She landed on her feet gently, although a glum look took over her features.

Princess Zelda was gone.

Midna thought for a moment, sadness still evident in her tone before saying, "We go back, Link! Back to Faron Woods!" and with a smooth backflip, she landed in her usual spot.

As they were leaving the empty chamber, the hero heard his companion mumble to herself, "Zelda… I've taken all that you had to give… though I did not want it…"

* * *

_**Desperately clinging to existence.**_


	22. Blade of Evil's Bane

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 6/2/13 – Polished, added narrative, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 22: Blade of Evil's Bane

**.:.**

As they watched a strange, magical barrier envelope the whole of Hyrule Castle in a flash, all either of them could do was gape in awe. Princess Zelda must have been keeping the castle from being overrun all this time, and now that she was no longer there, there was no one to protect it.

Did that mean that the kingdom of light was now under Zant's evil rule? They were infuriated at the mere thought.

Link wasn't entirely sure of what exactly had even happened; all he knew was that Midna was alright and that was enough for him, for now. Midna, however, was plagued with guilt. Zelda had given up her very essence in order to keep the imp alive. She shouldn't have done that, the Twili thought, she wasn't worth it.

"Let's go, Link," Midna said at last, breaking the silence.

The imp helped him to warp to the forest, one of the few things Link could appreciate that came from being stuck as a wolf. That cut down the travel time drastically, and saved the hero's already exhausted body from anymore tiring feats.

In mere seconds, they found themselves in Faron Woods where one of the monkeys that Link remembered from the Forest Temple was being attacked by bizarre, wood-like creatures. He dispatched of them and the primate told him of a wooded area on the other side of some cliffs. The wolf immediately knew that that just _had_ to be the Sacred Grove that the princess spoke of previously, and headed there with haste. Midna helped him cross a vast chasm and before they knew it they were deep in the forest.

The monkey had been right – it truly was beautiful here.

Even though the most prominent years of his young life consisted of living amongst trees and foliage, he had never seen such a heavily wooded place before. He nearly ran into a tree stump at every turn, and leaves and branches blocked any view of the sky above. The fresh, clean smell was inviting, and Link couldn't help but love the soft leaves beneath his paws.

Serene waterfalls flowed endlessly into a crystal clear river between the numerous tree trunks; everything about this grove was enticing and stunning. He wished Ilia was with him to witness it; she would have absolutely adored it.

He wanted to just lie down in the shrubbery and rest, but he desperately needed to regain his true form and visit Renado back in Kakariko; he was sure he did more damage to himself than he really comprehended back in the Lakebed Temple.

A strange, child-like creature had begun taunting the duo upon their entrance. They also noticed, however, that each time it did so it opened hidden pathways deeper into the forest, so they decided to follow it.

The small child was hard to keep up with, let alone keep track of, but they continued on for quite some time, finding themselves slightly lost on a few occasions. When the companions had at long last cornered the skull kid in a coliseum-like arena, it appeared to become angry as it summoned more of the pesky wooded monsters to assault the hero.

Upon defeat, the impish creature revealed the final pathway to yet another section of the Sacred Grove. The child vanished after the encounter, and they hoped this would be the area in which they would finally find what they were looking for considering they would not be able to navigate this place without the one they had been using as a guide.

Two stone statues loomed ominously on the far side from where they entered. The symbol of the triforce glimmered brightly amongst the grass and fallen leaves on the ground. He approached it apprehensively, a whistling sound on the wind just barely making itself audible to his acute canine ears.

He closed his eyes and listened, hearing a tune he recognized, but had no idea where he had heard it before. He howled along with it, probably unaware that he had even done so. The ancient melody, however, triggered life into the statues who then turned the earthy terrain before him into multiple small chunks of land.

One leapt in front of him while the other went behind him, "We are guardians of this land," the former introduced, "Guide us to where we once stood. Only then can you enter the true Sacred Grove."

Link furrowed his brow, unsure of exactly what they had meant. Curious as to what they would do, he took a step forward. As he did so, the guardians took a step of their own, except in opposite directions. He understood now, this was a puzzle – a giant, confusing puzzle. After taking a few leaps to simply assess their movements, he stood motionless and began plotting out the pattern in his mind.

"What are you doing?" Midna whispered from his back.

Trying to figure this out, he thought, wishing he could tell her that; he just needed a moment.

"Alright, just making sure you weren't lost as usual."

As usual, he laughed inwardly, whatev- wait… did she just…? He wanted to know how she knew what he wanted to say to her, but it would have to wait; he wanted to hurry up and finish this riddle and become human again.

After taking the time to determine the path in his head, the hero found the task to be quite simple. One step of his own meant that the statues would, in turn, each take a step of their own. They moved exactly opposite of one another, making it a bit easier for the hero to decipher the riddle. He had always had a knack for critical thinking and problem solving, and he had found that puzzles had increasingly become easier for him as he went through this journey.

Upon completion, the stone giants stepped aside as they returned the grove to normal and at last stated that they yielded passage; Link sighed in relief and took it with haste.

He ascended a small flight of stairs and was greeted with an otherworldly sight. He found himself in an open clearing, seemingly hollowed out for the mere purpose of housing the blade of evil's bane. The sun shone down in scattered and haphazard rays through the clustered tree branches and leaves overhead, the flora acting as a kind of filter for the light. A thin layer of fog rested coolly on the ground, reaching the wolf's belly easily. He approached the center with eagerness, yet caution.

Link stood before it, a stone pedestal proudly grasping the magnificent weapon. The sun glinted off of the steel, nearly blinding the hero, but he paid it no mind. He began to realize, though, that the glare of the sun was steadily growing brighter the closer he drew to it. He was so focused on the blade; it was like the sword had its own gravitational pull, progressively making him draw nearer and nearer without realizing.

When he came within a very close proximity to the ancient sword, it sent out a powerful shock without warning, sending Midna flying off his back. He had to use all his strength to stand against the force. He hadn't recognized that his companion's presence was no longer there, but even if he had, he wouldn't have been able to go to her. The blade was seemingly defending itself against the malevolent vibe that the wolf was currently giving off. He withstood it, growling and roaring as the pressure intensified.

He could feel the blade slowly surrendering as it began to realize who exactly was standing before it. As it gave in, he could feel its benevolence entering his body and forcing out the evil presence that was the twilit beast. He raised his head skyward as he felt his limbs elongating – it was the first time that transforming had felt refreshing and revitalizing.

Midna shielded her eyes from the sudden, bright flash, and when she opened them, in her palm was the dark crystal that the evil king Zant had used to turn her wolf into just that. She eyeballed it strangely before looking up, and to her delight, her gaze fell upon a very human Link. She watched him confusedly as he grasped the handle of the mystical blade; he had to know that that sword was meant for one individual and one individual only, and it most likely wouldn't give way to _him_.

The hero looked down at the amethyst hilt, lavishly adorned with a citrine gem and intricate, detailed carvings. Humbly, he wasn't sure this would work, but confidently, he was sure it would. He laced his fingers over the metal handle and gave it a slight tug.

The blade gave way willingly. Light shone brightly from the base of the plinth as the young man fully retrieved the weapon from the ground. He held the sword upward, watching the sun dance off the steel brilliantly.

The imp held her forearms in front of her face as another force was unleashed when the hero had removed the blade. When the dust settled, she looked back at her companion in awe; her jaw nearly hit the floor.

"The sword accepted you as its master…" she gaped.

Link raised the blade higher in pride and in his own brand of astonishment. He had heard numerous stories and tales of the ancient blade of evil's bane and how only chosen heroes were able to wield it. It was true, he had been told multiple times that _he_ was said hero, but it was still something he hadn't been able to believe. He still didn't feel like anything or anyone special, but this at least helped in the light spirits' claims that he was.

He found himself lost in his own world as he stared up at the elegant metal reflecting the golden rays. He couldn't help but feel as if he had held this very hilt before – it fit into the palm of his left hand perfectly; it was as if it was branded for him and no one else. It felt almost like reuniting with a very old friend.

He thought he heard a faint calling, an echo on the wind as he held the sword skyward, but he was sure he was just imagining things.

He swung his new weapon a few times in each direction, taking a moment to get a good feel for its movements. He had no idea how he ever utilized any other blade before now.

Midna snapped him from his thoughts as she began speaking to him at his side, "You actually… were able to draw the sword."

He turned to her, holding the steel up to examine it a bit more.

"Link, don't you know what this means?"

"Something about being a hero, I'm guessing?"

"This is the Master Sword, Link… it only allows the _one_ chosen hero to wield it. The sword accepts its _own_ master, and it won't let anyone else use it. It's not just any average sword."

He seemed perplexed, "I believe you, Midna, but… how do you know?"

She seemed offended, "The history of the hero is well known, even in my realm."

He nodded as his gaze followed the blade to the grass. Why would this ancient sword choose him? He could hardly think on it, though, as being back in his native form brought back the realization of how downright awful he felt. He could still feel the burning sting on his left arm, and his muscles were hardly able to hold him upright any longer.

She could tell he was feeling the over-exertion, "Well, come on, I promised you I would let you rest up and get checked on by that old shaman."

"I don't think I can make it that far," he admitted weakly.

Midna went on to explain that they could now use the twilight crystal for transforming at any time, as well as warping at any time. He sighed in relief as the idea of relaxing entered his exhausted mind.

He winced as he prepared to be transformed back into a canine. He was a little worried about being able to regain his true form, but he trusted Midna when she told him she was sure she could turn him back. She changed him and in just a few minutes, he found himself right outside of Kakariko Village. He wished she had left him _in__side_ the town, but he understood why she did it – so as to not frighten his friends with the sudden appearance of a terrifying beast.

After being turned back to his Hylian state, the intensity of his injuries and his extreme exhaustion became more and more apparent. There was none of the horse grass Epona liked in sight, but even if there was, it would probably take longer for her to get to him than for him to simply walk to the village. He trudged onward with difficulty, the view of the spring and the sanctuary finally coming into view. He kicked up brown dirt with his boots as he shuffled his feet slowly.

It was slightly later in the afternoon and no one was outside. He guessed they were either inside having lunch or avoiding the heat. He opened the door to Renado's home and found no one, realizing they must be in the inn. He turned and headed in the direction of the dilapidated building, his steps becoming heavier and more sluggish with each stride.

"Link, are you gonna make it?" he barely heard his shadow whisper to him as she remained hidden.

He said nothing; instead he focused on his target. As much as he walked, it seemed like it wasn't getting any closer. His vision began to blur with the lack of rest and the extreme toll having been taken on his body over the course of time he was in the temple at the bottom of the lake – he had no idea how long he had been stuck in there.

He passed by Malo Mart as the inn drew closer, yet it still seemed farther to his weary eyes. His eyelids grew heavy and his muscles grew weak. A wave of nausea then swept over him in a flurry. He uncontrollably doubled over and retched until he was empty, which he pretty much already was; what surfaced was not much more than stomach fluid.

He groaned as he stumbled a few more steps towards the decrepit hotel, only making it a few feet past the puddle of vomit before he crumbled to the dirt beneath him.

Midna couldn't reveal herself in case anyone was to see, but she called quietly to him from her hiding place in the shadows, "Link! Are you okay?"

He gave no response – he was seemingly lifeless.

Luckily, not much time passed before the distant sound of a nearby door entered his long, Hylian ears followed by a quick inhale of breath. He couldn't match the sounds to a person, most likely because he was so out of it.

"Mister Renado!" a small, female voice called out in distress.

"What is it, Be-," the shaman began but lost his train of thought as he spotted the hero lying on the dusty terrain at the bottom of the steps.

"What's Beth crying about now?" Talo's voice could suddenly be heard as well.

He stopped abruptly when he, too, caught sight of Link on the floor. The two children simply watched as Renado approached the motionless form with haste.

"Link?" the older man called, seeing if he could be roused.

He heard a faint moan emitted from the young man's lips and his eyes were moving slowly beneath closed lids.

"Talk to me, my boy, are you alright?" he spoke up again, shaking him gently.

By now, Colin had joined Beth and Talo, and Malo had merely peeked outside through the window as he continued eating, not concerned enough as he figured the hero would be just fine as he always was.

The shaman turned Link onto his back as he continuously made progress towards awakening on his own, "Link?"

The young Hylian fluttered his eyes a few times before raising a hand to his aching head, "Where…?"

"Kakariko Village," Renado answered, already knowing what he was trying to ask, "You're in Kakariko Village, Link. Tell me, are you hurt?"

The hero furrowed his brow in thought, "I… don't remember."

The wise man frowned, "Can you stand?"

Link nodded as he slowly got to his feet with the aid of the shaman. His steady hands didn't leave the young man's unstable body, but that didn't stop him from having difficulty with staying upright. He spotted the troubled looks of the children in the doorway and gave them a meager smile in attempted reassurance as he made his way over the threshold with the help of Renado.

He sighed in relief as his tired body finally met with the soft, warm cot that he had become quite acquainted with over the last few months. Colin, Talo, and Beth had followed them into the room, soon also gaining the attention of Ilia and Luda who were in the corridor beside it.

Without noticing any clearly visible wounds, the shaman couldn't immediately tell what was wrong, so he asked, "What happened?"

The hero was deep in thought, his obvious disorientation impeding his memory, "Um… I remember… water…"

"Were you swimming?" Beth asked.

"I bet you were doing some awesome dives, huh!" Talo added.

"Did you get hurt in the water?" Colin offered.

With the blond boy's suggestion, he was able to recollect a few things, "Yes, I…" he paused to think, "I remember… a big jellyfish."

"Ew!"

"COOL! Did you bring one back? I want one!"

"I sure hope you didn't get bit…"

The young boy's mumbled statement was like a light bulb in Link's mind, triggering the rest of his memories on the matter.

"I remember now… Thank you, Colin," he said as he removed his left bracer and glove and pulled back his ivory shirt, revealing the discolored patches of skin that stretched from his forearm, over his elbow, and to his bicep.

Colin gasped quietly, Beth covered her mouth with her petite hands, and Talo's eyes widened.

Renado examined it up close, "It stung you pretty good, I take it."

"Yes… I remember it shocked and stung me, and then I nearly drowned… I think that's it."

"That's it?" Ilia chimed in, sounding perturbed, "You are way too careless, Link. I know you just want to help others, but getting yourself nearly killed is foolish. Just stay put in this village where you're safe!"

Before anyone could get a word in, the young girl stormed off in anger. Link sighed as he was reminded of just how much he truly missed her. He wished he could explain to her everything that was going on. He longed so desperately for her friendship and to be able to talk to her again.

"Leave her be, she will be fine," Renado stated before turning back to Link, "Are you feeling ill or nauseous?"

He nodded.

"Was that gross stuff outside puke? Ew, Link! Couldn't you at least have made it into a bush?" Beth said disgustedly, resulting in hysterics from Talo.

The two older males paid the children no mind, "I _do_ feel sick," Link admitted with a grimace, "But otherwise I think I'm fine… I just need to rest."

"The sting was most likely poisonous, though," Renado said, ignoring the latter half of Link's response. "When did this happen?" he inquired, hoping it had happened recently enough to stop the spread of the venom.

The room fell silent as he tried to think of the passage of time, "I can't say for sure. A week ago… maybe?"

Renado looked disheartened, "Link, my son, when you are injured you always need to get to me as soon as possible. You mustn't wait such a long time before seeing me."

"I can't always get here, Renado," he stated quietly, not wanting to elaborate because of the presence of the young ones.

The shaman was intelligent enough to realize why he didn't want to go into details, "Children, why don't you go outside and play before the sun goes down?"

"Okay, Mister Renado!" the brunette boy exclaimed excitedly, more than happy to have the go-ahead from his current guardian before pulling Beth along with him down the stairs.

Colin seemed reluctant at first, but with a comforting nod from his hero, he was off.

Renado then asked for his daughter to gather some antidotes and remedies commonly used for curing poison, even though he wasn't exactly sure it would work after this long.

The young man could see in the shaman's coffee eyes that he wanted more of an explanation.

Link sighed, "Sometimes, I… I find myself in places or situations that I cannot readily get out of whenever I choose to," he tried to explain as he attempted to relax his tensed muscles.

"Mm," the older man raised an eyebrow as he tried to comprehend, "I do not understand, but I will not pry. I can only imagine what it is you are tasked with out there. But, my boy, you _must_ be careful."

"I try my best, Renado, I really do… I just wish someone understood."

The shaman sighed as he took the medicines from Luda and prepared to apply them. He wished he could understand, too; he wished he knew what this young man was going through so he would be better able to help him.

"Do not fret over it. I apologize for bringing it up. I only lecture you because I care, and I worry for you to no end while you are away."

Link's mouth curled into a miniscule smile, "That means a lot. Thank you."

The older man smiled his own, barely visible smile in reply as he returned to the more important matters. He uncorked a glass bottle with a strange, purple liquid inside and pressed it to the hero's lips, prompting him to drink. Link's nose scrunched up in repulsion at the vile taste. Renado held the young Hylian's nose and mouth shut, forcing him to swallow despite his protest.

"Blegh!" Link choked out after having downed the foul drink.

"That should help to fight off the poison, if we aren't too late."

He wiped his right forearm across his chin, "'If we aren't too late?'"

Before he could get a moment of respite or even so much as a response, another revolting liquid was being forced down his throat. He gagged and sputtered as he attempted to fight against the dreadful tasting medicine.

"Ugh," he mumbled, drying his mouth with his arm after the bottle was emptied once again, "And that one?"

"Will knock you out," Renado stated bluntly.

Link looked perplexed, "Wait, what? Why?"

"You said you were shocked and stung by a jellyfish and that you nearly drowned. All of these things exhaust extreme tolls on the body, especially the muscles and the nerves. The only cure for that is rest, and lots of it. It will also help the antidote for the poison to run its course more efficiently and more quickly, giving it a better opportunity to work."

The medicine had already begun to drain the young man's energy as his eyelids grew heavy and his words became slurred, "Oh… kay."

"I want you to count to ten. Out loud for me, please," the shaman stated as he gathered more herbs and remedies that Link couldn't make out through his blurring vision.

The hero blinked once slowly, "One… t-two…"

He could feel his limbs tingling as they slowly fell asleep one by one. His heartbeat decreased to a more relaxed speed and it became nearly impossible for him to keep his eyes open. He couldn't even make it to the number four before he was completely unconscious.

* * *

_**Drawing forth the mystical blade of ancient heroes in order to repel the evil from within.**_


	23. Crawl

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 6/2/13 – Polished, added narrative, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 23: Crawl

**.:.**

The vile, orange medicine had knocked the hero out for a good few days straight. Renado was shocked at its overly successful results, but he guessed that it only worked so well because the young man had already been so exhausted on his own – he truly needed the rest.

Luda and Colin had taken turns holding medicinal herbs to the swollen sting on Link's left arm. It had hardly made the marks vanish from his skin; instead, it helped with easing the pain of the injury and lifting out some of the venom that the lavender colored antidote might have missed.

The shaman had been left with not much to do other than watching over the progress that the hero steadily made towards recovering. Link had retained a slightly pale shade to his skin, along with a thin layer of sweat that covered him head to toe. The poison had given him a nasty fever, which probably wasn't helped with the electrocution and near drowning incident he had endured afterwards. At first, his heartbeat had been overly fast-paced, the indication that the muscle was working extra hard to work against the toxins that were plaguing it, but as he slept, it had slowed down drastically. His breathing patterns started out uneven but, in time, that also regained its normalcy.

On the third day, Link had woken up only for a few brief moments. His eyes had remained half-lidded and dark bags circled beneath them. Colin had been there at the time, asking his brother-figure if he felt better. The hero was awake just long enough to say he was fine, but still tired, and then he was out like a light once more.

On the fourth day, the small, blond-haired boy had been at Link's side dabbing his left arm with more herbs at Renado's request while he took the young man's temperature and made sure he was still progressing. It was when the timid lad caught sight of a rather peculiar glint out of his peripheral vision that he stopped in mid-dab.

It was Link's blade. But… it looked different.

Colin left the medicinal plant on the unconscious hero's arm and got up from his seat. He approached the shiny weapon in the corner of the room and eyeballed it before turning to the shaman whose gaze had followed him there. The older man had noticed it right away when he first found the hero unconscious outside the inn a few days prior. It shocked him, considering he knew the importance of the blade, no doubt about that, but he didn't have too much of a hard time believing it, either. He had known all along that the young man in the unusual green tunic had been special, unique, and unlike anyone he had ever met before, someone with the purest of hearts – that didn't come around too often, if ever.

"Is this Link's sword?" the boy asked, pointing a stubby arm in its direction.

"Yes, it is."

He appeared confused, "It looks…"

"It is a different blade, Colin, a much more special one."

"'More special'?" he furrowed his brow in curiosity.

Renado knew the story well; it was a story that all humans, Hylians, Zoras, and Gorons of the land of Hyrule knew well. He was sure the boy's father had already told him some of the ancient tale, but due to his young age, he most likely knew very little of it. The wise man supposed that since the story would now hit very close to home with all of them, with Link being so dear to them and him being the chosen hero, he should explain some of it to the inquisitive lad.

"That, dear boy, is called the Master Sword," he began as the boy returned to his seat in order to listen more intently, "It is a sacred blade that only allows the one true hero to wield it."

"'One true hero'?"

"When great calamity befalls Hyrule, the three golden Goddesses choose one courageous person with an unbreakable spirit and a strong will to bear the burden of freeing the land from evil."

Colin seemed overwhelmed, "And that one person is Link?"

Renado glanced at the sleeping form on the bed, "It is."

"Oh…" was all the timid boy could say. It was obvious that the child was having a difficult time comprehending everything he was just told, even though the shaman had just barely grazed the surface.

"Don't think on it too much, my boy. Get some rest. Our hero should be awake and all better by tomorrow."

Colin simply nodded, his young mind still very much on all the 'hero' business. He simply couldn't believe that Link, his hero and the one person he had always looked up to as his brother, had such an important role to play in the world. It boggled his adolescent mind.

The night came and went in a flash, and when Link next opened his eyes, it was morning. He couldn't believe how much better he felt. Renado told him that he had slept for four days and four nights straight; he had drastically needed it. He woke up with a new sense of rejuvenation that he hadn't felt in months.

After listening to a few words of warning and caution from his healer about being careful and taking it easy, he said his goodbyes to everyone in the village, letting them know that he would be back soon, and headed out into the field on the back of Epona.

Midna had surprised him when she popped out of his shadow to make sure he was feeling up to returning to adventuring. He assured her that he was feeling refreshed and ready to help her find the Mirror of Twilight she had told him about. However, the problem was that neither of them knew where it was located.

Before they could decide on their next destination, the loud, raucous call of the postman caught their attention. The imp quickly hid in the shadows as Link accepted a letter addressed to him. To his delight, it was from Telma, asking him to visit her at her bar and meet her friends. It couldn't hurt, he thought; maybe they would be able to help somehow.

The breeze through his sandy blond hair as he galloped over Hyrule Field was soothing. He adored the feeling of riding freely with his beloved steed; there was simply nothing else that compared.

Seeing the castle in the distance beyond the busy, bustling town with his own eyes – not the canine ones he was still adjusting to – was amazing. The last time he had been here while in his true form he hadn't actually stopped to take in the beauty of the town; he had been in such a rush to get to Ilia.

He left Epona near the bridge and made his way leisurely to the west side of town, taking in all the sights and smells along the way. He had never seen a single, centralized location that housed so many people in such small space. Well, in his eyes, this place was huge, but considering just how many people he saw running through the streets, he was sure that they probably felt cramped.

He easily remembered the location of the bar and made his way there. It was already almost nightfall as the journey over the field had taken nearly the entire day, and there was a slight chill to the air that made him shiver as he was reminded that he was still recovering from a horrible fever. He grasped the cold handle to the door and whisked it open. A warm, inviting breeze greeted him head to toe upon entering, followed, of course, by the proprietress' welcome.

"Oh my… if it isn't Link!" she chirped happily.

He smiled as he approached her.

"You made it! How've you been, honey? That shaman fixed you up real nice after that arrow incident I hope."

"Yes," he chuckled slightly, "He's helped me immensely. I feel much better."

Telma grinned, "That's great to hear, honey! But mercy, you have good timing! I was just talking about you!"

Link's cheeks flushed with embarrassment; he didn't want people to be talking about him. He could just barely hear his shadow giggling at him in the corner of his mind.

"Hey, everyone! Introduce yourselves!" Telma called to the group of people at a circular table at the back of the bar.

They all turned to look at him and he instantly remembered them from when he was trying to save his dying companion as a wolf. The older man with the grey beard was missing, but the girl with dark hair and the young man with glasses he immediately recognized – that man was the one that had made a snide remark about Link having come from Ordon. That memory made him shudder in distaste. There was another man, though, that he could not identify. He had armor over his face and he did not recall seeing him in the bar previously.

"This handsome young man is the infamous Li-"

"Link!" the mysterious man shouted, interrupting the barmaid as he got to his feet and tackled the unknowing hero into a tight hug.

"Um…" was all Link could get out. He recognized that voice, and this embrace felt familiar…

"R-… Rusl? Is that you?"

The strange man released him from his tight grip and proceeded to remove his helmet, "It is me, my boy! It's been a long time! I'm so glad to see that you are safe and well!"

Link seemed shocked, "I could say the same for you. Last time I saw you, you were out cold on Uli's lap."

"Ah, yes…" Rusl seemed disheartened, "She eased me back to health and I felt troubled by my own inaction, so I decided to get out of the village and help the cause as much as I am able."

There was silence for a moment before the older man placed his hands on Link's shoulders and continued, "Link, my boy, the kind shaman in Kakariko told me of your adventures."

Link sighed; he knew that meant that he also told him of his injuries and how many times so far he had nearly died on the healer's watch. It was all true, no doubt, but he didn't want him to know; he didn't want Rusl worrying over him his every waking moment.

"So… he told you-"

"Everything. I cannot stress how often I fret over you, my son. I know you are strong, but you are not invincible," he gazed at him sternly, hoping the message was clear.

"I understand," he answered quietly with a nod.

Rusl smiled as he brought him in for another hug before pulling him by the wrist towards the other two at the table to meet them.

"Hello there! I'm Shad. Wonderful to meet you," the man with glasses introduced himself as he shook his hand boldly.

"…It's Ashei," the dark-haired female in the back announced.

"Don't mind her, old boy, she's simply a bit uncouth. She can't help it, I'm afraid," Shad dared.

"Excuse me?" Ashei shot back, "At least I'm not some stuffy prig who thinks he's better than everyone else, yeah?"

"Oh my, I do say that you have crossed the line! Now you just listen here-"

"No! You listen to m-"

"Both of you! Shut it!" Telma's booming voice immediately reduced the entire bar to silence.

Rusl and Link couldn't help but laugh at the display. It was the best chuckle the hero had had in a while.

"It was very nice meeting all of you, but I actually have to be on my way," Link said at last, figuring that these people probably would not be able to help him find the mirror after all.

"Alright, sweet pea. Why don't you go see how our Auru is doing over by the eastern desert? He's also in the resistance, but he's off checking things out."

Link nodded, knowing that it couldn't hurt and it was better than sitting around waiting for a clue as to where to go with his journey next, "I will."

After a few more goodbyes the hero exited the town, mounted his steed, and travelled east.

He didn't remember seeing a desert in the east, but he was sure that Telma knew Hyrule better than he did. He made his way down into Lake Hylia and spoke with the few people he came across who proved to be of little help. In the distance, however, he spotted a man he had not talked to yet. After getting closer, he recognized this man as the one from the bar.

Link introduced himself to the older man, but he already knew who he was from Telma's stories. He told him he was glad he came before explaining to him the ancient history of the desert, and the reason why the path to it was destroyed.

He told him that the desert was named Gerudo, and that it once held a prison that housed the worst criminals the land had ever seen. The criminals that had been sentenced to death were sent to the underworld by a cursed mirror that was kept in the prison. At last he admitted that the doomed place still held said evil mirror.

Unfortunately, that was most likely the one they were searching for, meaning that they would have to travel through the likely haunted old prison.

Auru then gave him a note in which to give to the strange man down at the flying game, saying that he could help him get to the desert. He wasn't sure how this man would help him get there, but it couldn't be that bad, could it?

By now he told himself he would stop deciding the outcome of things in his mind – he was always wrong.

The bizarre man, Fyer, placed him in a large cannon and shot him over Lake Hylia's walls and harshly into the sand of the forsaken desert. Needless to say, he had not been expecting to get there by those means at all. The shot practically forced his heart to leap out of his chest in shock, but at least Fyer was a cannon expert, making the ride relatively smooth (well, as far as cannon rides go).

He stood up, coughing uncontrollably due to the sand that had lodged itself in his throat upon impact. Luckily, the landing hadn't been _too_ rough; the sand had proven to be a fairly soft cushion. As he stood at the entrance to the desert, he looked straight ahead, seeing nothing but sand for miles. He sighed as he thought to himself, '_better get started_.'

Before he could take a step, though, Midna's voice halted him.

"Wait, Link."

He turned to look at her.

"Before we go on, there's something I want you to hear," she seemed dismayed, "Do you remember what the spirit said about the Fused Shadows?"

He nodded.

"What do you think happened to the magic wielders who tried to rule the Sacred Realm? They were banished. They were chased across the sacred lands of Hyrule and driven into another realm by the Goddesses."

The troubled imp went on to explain the nature of this realm she spoke of, that it was the exact contrast of Hyrule and that all of its inhabitants became nothing more than shadows, unable to be touched by light.

"This is the history of the Twili as it has been passed down from our ancestors… Do you now understand what I am?"

She paused to see if he would say anything. He was silent.

"I'm a descendant of the tribe that was banished to the Twilight Realm!" she snarled. There was anger in her tone, bitterness, even. She said it as if she was disgusted or ashamed of those whose lineage she descended from.

When Link still uttered not a word, she went on. She described her home as always having been a peaceful place. That was, until Zant took over and transformed all of the Twili into shadow beasts. She said that it was clear to her now that he must have gained his evil power from another source that was unknown to her. She then explained that she was cast out of the Twilight Realm, unable to return without the collaboration of Zant's power. But she went on to talk about a story that had always been told by her people of a potential link between the light and darkness: the Mirror of Twilight.

"It's our only path to the Twilight Realm, and we must get there!" she placed a tender hand on his cheek, "You'll come with me… won't you?"

He smiled, and without even a moment's hesitation, replied, "Of course I will."

Midna was silent. She opened her mouth as if she had more to say, but stopped herself. She swooped down into his shadow before anything more could be said.

He found her reaction to what he said a bit odd, and he could tell there was more she wanted to say, but he didn't want to pry; it was obvious that she was having difficulty trying to cope with everything she had just told him.

It was midday when they arrived in the desert, and without having been able to bring Epona with him, he guessed by the looks of things that it would take a good few days simply to make it to the prison. Miles and miles of sand stretched onward for days, and in the very far distance he could just barely make out a tall building. From as far away as they were, however, it appeared as nothing more than children's building blocks.

By the time night fell on the first day, Link was already exhausted, but they hadn't even made it a quarter of the way across. He didn't stop, though; he wanted to hurry up and get through the desert as quickly as possible, so he continued on through the dark night.

Pesky worm-like creatures persistently nipped at his ankles and a few even leapt high enough to hit him in the chest. They weren't difficult to dispatch of, they were simply numerous - seemingly endless - and were exceptionally irritating.

When the sun rose on the second day, the hero was already beat. He had sand in his boots, in his tunic – everywhere. He was irritable, hungry, and tired. Luckily, Renado had packed a small canteen of water in his pouch; that man was more helpful than he would probably ever know.

Slicing down the infinite waves of worm monsters had one upside: getting him used to his new blade. He already felt extremely comfortable wielding it, the only thing he had to get used to was how much heavier it was compared to his flimsy Ordon sword. It came naturally to him, though, as most physical things did.

By the time the second night came around, he was ready to kill something for food and go to sleep. Unfortunately, there hadn't been anything edible in sight; he and Midna most certainly were not going to be eating the sand worms for dinner.

He noticed that the sand monsters only attacked when he was on top of the sand, so he decided to settle in for the night on one of the few rock plateaus strewn across the desert. During the day on his path here, he had found a few stray pieces of lumber, seemingly from previous campfires that had been made. He didn't know who would have made them, but he tried avoiding the question and was simply thankful for having found them. He laid the firewood down and Midna used some of her magic to spark a flame in the timber.

The weather of the desert was cruel. The day time held a harsh, dry heat that virtually drained him of all his energy. But when night fell, the air was bitterly cold. A breeze blew through the hero's hair that he did not particularly enjoy. It cooled the sweat on his forehead far too much so, causing him to shiver slightly. Once the fire was steady, the companions sat beside it, warming themselves.

All was silent for quite some time. Link could see in the imp's single, visible eye that she was wanting to say something; he guessed it was what she stopped herself from saying the other day, when they first arrived in the desert.

"Um, Link?" she broke the silence, her gaze locked on the flames.

He turned to her to signify he was listening.

"I just wanted to tell you… thank you."

He looked puzzled, "For what?"

"For rescuing me. Well, actually, I should be saying thank you for everything you've done… but right now I'm saying thank you for saving my life."

"Midna, you don't have to-"

"I know, I know. You're the big hero and saving people is what you do, right?"

He thought on it, "Well, yes, I'm always going to try to save anyone I can. I can't stand to see people suffer. But you're not just _anyone_, Midna."

She looked up at him, sheer perplexity on her features.

"After all we've been through together, I would hope I'm not just anyone to you, either," he smirked.

"Well…" she said sarcastically.

He chuckled, "What I'm saying is, I will save you as many times as I have to. You're important to me."

She frowned, "I just… I don't get you!"

He was taken aback at her raised tone.

"I've been nothing but cruel to you, heartless even! I've made you get up and go when you're hurt. I've probably been the reason for you getting hurt most of the times. I've yelled at you, called you names, said downright hurtful things to you, and yet still you say I'm important to you and you would save me again! I don't… Ugh… I just don't understand light dwellers."

He was silent.

"You and Zelda both. Both of you are so selfless… You put yourself in life or death situations every single day and Zelda… she… she gave up everything she had just to save me…"

Silence.

"I… I'm sorry…"

"Midna, you d-"

"No, I have to say this. I'm sorry… for everything. For dragging you all over the place, for putting you in harm's way just for my own selfish reasons, for lying to you, for treating you like…" she was trying to find the proper adjective but found herself coming up blank, "like…"

"A dog?" he offered teasingly.

"I'm trying to be serious!" she yelled.

He couldn't help but smile, "I know, I'm sorry, it's just that… it's okay. Yeah, sometimes you made me angry, but I got over it. I would never hold a grudge against you. And yes, you've dragged me along for quite the ride, but have you heard me protesting?"

She was silent.

"Exactly. I'm starting to realize that I really _am_ supposed to be this hero that this land is in desperate need for. I still don't really _feel_ like I'm the chosen hero, I still feel like the goat herder at Ordon whose sole purpose and reason for getting up each day is simply to tend to the animals and protect the village."

Midna's gaze fell to that of Link's boots and she listened intently to his words.

"I don't _feel_ like this important person, but… I'm trying to get it in my head that I am, and that if I mess up…" he paused, thought for a moment, and shook his head, "I can't mess up. It just isn't an option. What I'm trying to say is… you dragging me around has been a good thing. It keeps me going, keeps me focused on what I _have_ to do when all I _want_ to do is go home."

"I see…" she said at last, after what felt like hours of silence, "But… I'm still sorry. I'm going to try my best to be more selfless, like you and Zelda. You two have taught me more than you know."

He smiled, "I can say the same to you."

She grinned in return, that was, until something moving behind the hero caught her attention.

"Link!" she cried, but she was too late.

His body jerked forward as she witnessed an arrowhead suddenly burst through his front. A loud grunt of pain escaped his lips as he quickly looked down to see what was causing his discomfort. All he could see was the sharp head of an arrow protruding through his middle. Luckily, it was far to his right side, seeming to have missed any vital organs.

He didn't waste another minute. He got to his feet in a flash and whirled around to see what had hit him, sword at the ready. What greeted him was at least seven or eight Bulblins; perhaps they had been the ones that left stray firewood behind. Midna quickly dove into his shadow as he charged his adversaries, blade raised towards them.

He sliced through two in a single swing, turning to meet the third with the blunt side of his hilt. The fourth had a club, and just as the troll's swing was about to meet the side of the hero's head, he brought up the Master Sword to bear. He turned the monster's weapon back on him, using it to render him unconscious swiftly. He brought his heavy steel down on another monster as he heard Midna scream for him to turn around. He did just that and immediately ducked as an oncoming projectile soared over his head, just barely missing his green cap.

As he had been dispatching of what he thought was the final foe, Midna's call had come too late. Just as he was about to whisk around, a second arrow met his back, causing him to stumble and fall to his knees. He was stationary for a moment, simply concentrating on breathing. He didn't want to look down; he didn't want to see the damage. Instead, he ignored it, got to his feet, and charged at the final obnoxious ogre with extreme ferocity.

Upon its defeat, the hero stood, taking a minute to examine every possible direction around him, making sure that no more fiends were going to take him by surprise again. When he saw not a creature in sight, he shuffled back over to the rocky terrain where they made camp so as to not be attacked by the sand worms.

"Link…" Midna's trembling voice could suddenly be heard at his side.

He collapsed to his knees, doing nothing more than breathing heavily.

"Link… are you o-"

"Did the second arrow come out the other side?" he asked bluntly at once.

She was taken aback at his abrupt and forceful tone, "W-What?"

"The second arrow… I saw that the first head came out the front but did the second?"

Why was he asking this? "Um, I don't know?"

"Check, please. I-I… I can't…"

She hovered towards his front to have a better look. He was right, the first arrow had made its way clear through his body and out the opposite side; it had been terribly gruesome when she watched it happen. The second one…

"I don't see a second arrowhead…"

Link closed his eyes and exhaled a long, ragged breath.

"Then… then you're going to ha-have…" he paused to cough, doubling over onto the palms of his hands as he did so. He opened his eyes to see speckles of blood dripping from his mouth onto the cold, stone ground beneath him.

"Have to what?" she asked worriedly.

"Have to… push the second ar-arrow out… the front…"

Her jaw fell slack, "What! I-I can't do that! Why would I do that?"

He was becoming impatient; he was in far too much pain to explain this to her right now, "The head will get stuck… inside if you don't… push it through…"

This didn't make any sense to her. What was he-… Oh… She remembered now. He was talking about what the shaman had told him all those months ago.

'_If getting to Kakariko is truly not an option and you are shot with an arrow… the first thing you do is pray that it pierced you well enough to come out the other side.'_

'_Why would I want that?'_

'_Because then all you have to do is snap the head off and you can pull the rest clean out. But if it doesn't come out the back… you would have to make it.'_

Oh Goddesses… Oh Goddesses… There was no way possible she would be able to push an arrow through Link's flesh, she thought, she just couldn't!

"Midna…" his voice was ragged and tinted with agony, "Please… I can't… do it myself…"

"Link, I… I don't want to hurt you! Isn't there another way?"

He coughed, crimson dots painting the ground, "I wish there was."

The imp closed her eyes, inhaled once slowly, and exhaled once even slower. She kept repeating over and over again in her mind: '_I can do this. I can do this._'

She hovered over to the hero's back as he was hunched over the ground. She spotted the shaft of the second projectile not very far from the first. It appeared to be just below the left side of his ribcage, whereas the first one was just above his right hip bone. She grimaced as she thought of how much pain he was undoubtedly already in; she hated to cause him more of it.

She pushed all the negative thoughts away, concentrating solely on the fact that this _had_ to be done in order for him to live. She wrapped her dainty hands around the crest of the arrow, whispering softly for Link to brace himself, and with every ounce of strength in her tiny body, she pushed the arrow through.

The scream of agony that was emitted from the young man's mouth was blood curdling; Midna almost thought the denizens of Lake Hylia could hear it.

The horrific sound of tearing flesh and muscle could be heard as the arrowhead was shoved out the other side. Midna winced at his disparaging cry in pain, the awful feeling of guilt panging in her chest even though she knew it had to be done.

The hero didn't remain awake long enough to hear his companion's cries of his name. The unbearable amount of pain instantaneously caused him to fall to his stomach, unable to hold himself up any longer, and before he even hit the ground, his world went black.

* * *

**_The process in which a selfish girl can grow to care for someone else is a slow one._**


	24. Good Things Take Time

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 6/2/13 – Polished, added narrative, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 24: Good Things Take Time

**.:.**

"Link…" the imp called apprehensively as she slowly hovered around towards his front; she was terribly afraid of what she would see when she got there.

He had fallen onto his stomach on the rocky plateau, his left cheek pressed against the cool ground and his eyes closed tightly. To her relief, she could easily spot the rising and falling of his chest – he was nothing more than unconscious. She didn't like it, but it was much better than him being _dead_.

"Link," she chimed again, hoping to coax him back to alertness as she gently shook his left shoulder, "Link, please… Please wake up. I… I don't know what to do!"

As if the Goddesses heard her plea, the hero's eyes slowly began to flutter open. She sighed in relief as he sluggishly blinked several times, a grimace plastered on his face all the while.

"Link," she exhaled, "You're awake! What do I do now? I need to get those arrows out of you!"

His slow, ragged breaths filled the quiet desert noisily as he fought against the pain in order to rest up on the palms of his hands once again, relieving the pressure from the front of his wounds. For what felt like hours, he was silent, concentrating solely on taking in oxygen as it was currently quite the task. When the imp called his name yet again, he opened his eyes just slightly, but he did not return her gaze as he, instead, focused his vision on the sprinkles of blood on the stone beneath him.

"What do I do?" she asked again, trying to keep her voice calm for his sake.

He breathed, "Break off the arrowheads…" _inhale_, _exhale_, "Then pull out… the r-rest…"

She nodded as she planned her strategy. She noticed, however, that in his currently hunched over position, she would not be able to get to the heads lodged in his front since he was currently facing the ground.

"Can you sit up?"

He sighed as he prepared himself to oblige her inquiry. He lifted his palms from the dirty ground, placing them on the tops of his knees as he leaned back and rested on his shins. Straightening out his back proved to be excruciating; his pained expression showed it clearly. Midna looked at his closed lids, guilt welling up inside of her all over again.

Neither one uttered a single word as the imp placed her hands on the first arrowhead protruding from the hero's middle. She wrapped her left hand around the wooden shaft, brushing up against his open flesh as she did so – she could feel him wince. Then she grasped the metal tip with her right hand and pulled in opposite directions, snapping the head from the crest in a clean break.

This part should be easy, she told herself as she floated around to her companion's back where she swiftly pulled the wooden stick from his flesh. He groaned slightly after sucking in an agonized breath and holding it.

"You okay?" Midna asked, hovering around him hurriedly to see how he was doing.

"Fine," he mumbled as he opened his eyes barely a slit and looked down at his freshly bleeding wound, placing a hand there instinctively to try and staunch the flow, "Please hu… hurry…"

She immediately understood his worry and listened to his words – she needed to hurry up and get the other arrow out quickly so that she could bandage up his wounds and stop the loss of blood before he had no more left to lose.

As she moved to grasp the other arrowhead, she noticed that it was covered in blood, tissue, and Din knows what else, most likely from when it had been more recently shoved through his flesh. She nearly gagged when her dainty hand slipped on the slime, but she was able to hold it back. She broke the steel tip off in the same way she had before, and then proceeded to pull the arrow out also in the same manner that she had previously. Link moaned loudly at the arrow's removal, the pain steadily intensifying as he once again brought a hand up to cover his open wound.

He doubled over irrepressibly, his left hand holding him up against the ground while his right arm wrapped around his torso. The pain from extracting the arrows felt like being shot with them all over again, only worse. The projectiles had been acting as a sort of plug in his wounds, so when it was removed, the feeling could be compared to tearing apart his flesh and muscles.

Midna watched him worriedly, knowing full well that they needed to hurry and get his injuries patched up to stop the blood loss, but she knew that they would have to remove his tunic and other top-half garments before she could start bandaging; she was sure he wouldn't be able to do it on his own.

"I'm gonna have to take off your tunic so I can wrap you up. Can you help me?" she asked, doing her best to sound composed as she helped herself with removing his sword, shield, and his pack.

The agony had rendered him immobilized. His eyes were shut tight and his right hand clutched firmly at his middle in a futile attempt to ease the pain. He didn't respond to her; he hadn't even heard her. Realizing that he was simply suffering far too much to help but also understanding that this had to be done quickly and she couldn't afford to wait for him, she began doing it herself. After all, she had removed his clothing before, back in the forsaken Lakebed Temple. She laughed inwardly as she thought of how much he would be protesting this if he had been fully aware.

Unfortunately, removing his effects followed by his tunic, his chainmail, and lastly his ivory shirt, proved to be quite difficult in the hero's current position. Lifting it over his head wasn't the issue, it was getting him to pick his palm up off the ground long enough to get it completely free of him. She sighed upon completion, removing his chain mail having worn her out considerably – she still couldn't believe he wore that thing every day.

Midna hastily went into the hero's knapsack, pulled out the roll of cloth bandages that the shaman from Kakariko had undeniably left there, and got to work. Wrapping his abdomen in his hunched over position proved to be quite the task, but seeing how difficult it was for him to even hold himself up _that_ much, she knew without question that he wouldn't be able to keep himself upright long enough for her to finish, so she just made due as best she could.

Neither one said a word, instead, Link concentrated on staying conscious and holding himself up while Midna concentrated on bandaging him to the best of her abilities while also moving as hastily as she could. She wrapped the gauze around his torso a good three times before the gauze ran out. She tied up the loose end and soothingly told him he could finally lie down. He gratefully obliged.

She watched him as he eased himself down onto his stomach before slowly and carefully turning onto his back with a wince. She took a moment to look him over, hoping that her bandaging skills would suffice.

The imp couldn't help but stare at his perfectly toned chest. Last time she had to remove his tunic, he had still had the black Zora suit underneath, so the only other time she had gotten to see him bare-chested was when he was sumo wrestling that old, fat man that she couldn't remember the name of at the moment. At that time, though, she had been in his shadow, not able to really get a good look – she could now though.

She couldn't help but notice as she had been wrapping up his torso that his abdominals were hard as rock. Each and every individual muscle throughout his stomach, chest, and arms was clearly defined and could be pinpointed easily. The same question she had last time she saw him like this arose again: did he herd goats bare-chested? He had a perfectly evened tan. If he _did_ ride around on Epona wearing naught but loose pants back in his village, then he must have had girls simply falling at his heels at every turn.

When she caught herself so lost in thought over his good looks, she began to feel guilty again. Here he was, lying before her in pain after having been shot with two arrows, and all she could think about was how well-toned and handsome he was. Well, he most certainly _was_ both of those things, but she needed to focus on getting him better.

"How are you feeling?" she asked stupidly. She could see clearly by the contortion of his face that he was hurting badly.

"I've… been better," he breathed slowly as he forced a rather pathetic looking smile, "Thank you…"

She shook her head, "There's no need for that. Get some rest, okay?"

"But…" he coughed, "What if… more come?"

"They won't. I think you pretty much scared them all off, Mister Hero," she replied with a smirk.

He smiled slightly as he closed his eyes, "Hope so…"

By the time the beaten hero fell asleep, it was nearly morning. He continued to sleep the entire next day away. Midna wasn't sure if it was rest or complete loss of consciousness due to pain, but either way, he was getting a respite.

The imp didn't take her eyes off of him the entire time; she wanted to make sure his lungs didn't stop taking in air and his heart didn't stop beating. She remembered when he had gotten shot with that arrow while escorting Ilia and that Zora prince that the shaman made him talk to him so that he wouldn't lose consciousness – maybe he was afraid he wouldn't wake up if he did? Maybe she should have made him stay awake…

Her worry quickly started getting the best of her. By the time the sun went down on the third day of being in the desert, she decided to try and wake him.

"Link?" she called quietly as she placed a hand on his shoulder and shook it gently.

At first, there was no response. She said his name a few more times before his eyes began shifting beneath closed lids. He groaned in protest of the pain reawakening along with him. His glassy eyes cracked open just a slit, looking over at his companion as he blinked a few times slowly.

"Are you feeling alright?"

He thought for a moment; it was obvious that he still wasn't feeling well.

"I'll be okay…" he said at last after a few moments of silence. A sharp, throbbing pain had rooted itself into the hero's sides, right in the center of his wounds. The blood loss left him feeling light-headed and cold, the chill of the breeze that whistled by not helping in the slightest. He licked his chapped lips before continuing, "Thank you…"

Midna shook her head, "No, please, don't thank me. I feel terrible for having to hurt you like I did… I'm sorry if I didn't do it right. I probably messed up and made it hurt more, didn't I? I'm really sorry, Link, really…" she looked down and away from his gaze, seemingly ashamed.

Even in his pained state, he couldn't help but chuckle.

She furrowed her brow, "What's so funny?"

"You," he smiled, "You've made a… complete turnaround… You would've never cared… this much… before…" his voice was shaky and he was hardly able to get out a few words at a time without stopping to take a deep breath.

He didn't mean for those words to strike a chord in her, but they did just that, "I'm sorry, I'm really trying to be better. I really do care about you. I have this whole time."

"I'm glad…" he breathed loudly, blinking slowly as he did so, "And don't apologize… You didn't hurt me any more… than you had to… Thank you, I couldn't have… done it myself…"

"I didn't like having to do it. I could see how much you were hurting already and I didn't want to have to hurt you more. But I guess since it was the only way, it was okay… right?"

"Right."

She smiled. She was sure that even if she _had_ messed up and made it worse than it had to be, he wouldn't have told her, that's just the kind of person he was. It took some time, but she was finally beginning to appreciate that about him. Before, she had always thought he was just stupid, letting people walk all over him; she knew that wasn't the case now, though. She almost felt disgusted with herself for how she used to think about him and treat him. It would be best if she just put the past behind her and did better in the future.

She noticed his eyelids drooping – she didn't want him to fall asleep on her again. She had felt so alone and so worried for him the last time he was out.

"Link," she mumbled, "I know this is selfish, but could you try to stay awake?"

He coughed, grimacing at the discomfort, "I am awake… aren't I?"

She smiled; he hadn't even noticed he was drifting off, "Yeah, you are."

Her grin faded as she noticed the strange look on Link's face. The pained expression had been present the whole time, but what caught her off guard was the concentrated anger in his cerulean eyes. She could tell he was thinking about something that was upsetting him.

"Is something bothering you?" she questioned calmly.

He sighed, "I'm just… angry with myself."

She furrowed her brow; she certainly hadn't expected that response, "What? Why?"

He tried to sit up, Midna telling him to stop all the while. He winced and lowered himself back down, resting on his elbows. "I let my guard down," he answered at last.

She sighed, "Link, that's-"

"No… I was taught better," slow _inhale_, _exhale_, "I should have been… paying better attention to my surroundings…" _cough_, "I had just gotten… all healed up and ready to go, too… And then this happens…" _sigh_, "I'm just glad you didn't… get hurt…"

She sighed, "You're too hard on yourself. Lay back down, okay?"

He tried to protest, but when the pain and the mere task of holding himself up began to exhaust him, he did as she asked. His skin was quite pale by now and his breaths were slow and ragged, the complete opposite of his heart which was beating rapidly in attempt to refill his veins with the blood that he had lost.

Seeing that he still wasn't doing well, Midna decided to propose an idea that she had jostling around in her mind for quite some time, "You know, if you want, I could warp you back to Kakariko so that old shaman could check you out. He could fix your bandages, too, because," she laughed bitterly, "I probably didn't do them so good."

"We can't do that," he replied immediately, not even taking a moment to think on it.

"Why not?" she knew what he was going to say, and she personally didn't want to go out of the way to backtrack to the village, either, but she wanted to make sure he would be well enough to continue on at the same time.

"We've already made it this far into the desert… We haven't even found a portal here… I don't want to go back and have to travel this far all over again…"

She sighed, "I guess you're right."

"I don't think I could stand the pain… of transforming right now, anyway…"

"Oh, that's right, I didn't even think of that," she scoffed at the horrible situation they were in, "I guess we're just gonna have to wait here until you're all better."

"No," he responded flatly, "We'll start moving again… in the morning…"

"What!" she shouted, "No! It's almost morning now! I don't want you getting up and running and fighting when you're already injured. Now that _is_ stupid."

"I'm sorry you feel that way… but I'm tired of lying around wasting time…" he replied as he began closing his eyes, "Let's just… rest until the sun rises… then we can go, okay?"

Midna sighed, "Fine," she gave in. She wanted to let him _think_ she was going to be okay with him getting up and going in the morning, but when that time actually came, she was going to raise hell.

The hero had fallen asleep instantly, his companion having little luck in the matter. She dozed off a few times, but was mostly concerned with him getting up and trying to head out without her getting to yell at him first. She had spent the hours she couldn't sleep thinking of what she would say to him when the sun rose.

As the bright rays peaked over the sand dunes of Gerudo Desert, signifying the dawn of the fourth day they had been here, the duo were both stirred awake. Midna, having been only half-asleep to begin with, was immediately alert and ready to stop Link from doing something stupid.

He took a bit longer to come around. He groaned as he placed his left arm in front of his face, using it to shield his eyes from the sun's harsh light.

After taking a moment to look himself over, he began grabbing his things until Midna hovered over and plopped down on top of them.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" she spat.

He yawned, "Trying to get dressed so we can head out." His voice sounded better than it had the night before, but pain still filled it like a thick accent, and it was clear that he was intentionally making himself sound better than he actually did to trick her.

"Absolutely not! Look at you! I can tell you're still hurting."

"I'll be fine, Midna. Come on, let me get my things," he said as he tried to pull them out from underneath her.

"No!" she shouted, folding her arms over her chest, "I want you to rest more! I don't want you running through the hot desert, fighting Din knows what, and getting yourself hurt again just because you had to be Mister Big Important Hero and leave before you were healed!"

He couldn't fight the laughter that came from her outburst.

"What are you laughing at? I wasn't joking!"

"I know," he chuckled, "It's just… before, we used to argue because _I_ wanted to rest and _you _wanted to hurry up and go, now look at us."

She smirked as she realized the irony in it all, but she wasn't going to let him change the subject, "So then, why are you in such a rush to get going this time when you weren't before?"

"Before, I was safe and comfortable in Kakariko Village under the care of Renado. Now, we're in the middle of this Goddess forsaken desert with monsters running around, no shade, no food, limited water, and no more bandages for my wounds when these are soaked through," he motioned to the once-white, now-tinted-red gauze around his waist, "I'm just hoping to get up and get through this place as fast as I can so we can get out of here."

Midna sighed, dropping her arms to her sides in defeat as she lifted herself off of his clothing, "I guess you have a point."

He nodded to her in appreciation as he began getting dressed. He attempted to hide the pained grimace on his face as he put on each layer of clothing over the top of his wounds, but she could see it clearly despite how hard he tried to mask it. She knew this had to be one of his worst injuries yet, and he was right in saying that they desperately needed to hurry up and get done with this place as soon as possible.

As he started strapping on his chainmail, though, the imp decided to say something to try and lighten the mood a little bit and maybe take his mind off of his agony.

"I can't believe you can wear that thing, by the way. It is _so_ heavy!"

He laughed quietly, "It's not too bad. I just got used to it."

"Well, I guess you kinda _had_ to."

They both smiled as they went on about the pros and cons of his heavy mail. As he pulled the green tunic on over his head, he realized how comfortable it had become for him; he could hardly imagine wearing anything else – same with his matching green cap that Midna often mocked. He layered on his effects and soon after, the imp dove into his shadow, and he was off.

On the fourth night of trekking the desert, the companions had finally given in and eaten one of the sand worms for dinner. Link had been the first to try a bite, declaring that - although he would never choose it again if there were other options - it wasn't entirely awful (but then again, but he only felt that way because he was starving and would have taken anything). Midna had taken some convincing, though, her growling stomach finally giving in in the end. To the hero's disgust, she actually decided it was something she thoroughly enjoyed – they must eat strange things in the Twilight Realm, he thought.

The fifth day of travelling had been an exciting one. Not because anything happened, really, more so because the ancient prison they were heading for could finally be seen as such, not as some distant play set. A thick, misty mirage still floated ominously in front of it, proving that they still had quite the distance to walk.

Link promised himself, after getting out of this place, he would take at least a day to simply lie in the middle of a forest, enjoying the closed in spaces and the lush, green environment that was in complete contrast to this place that he already hated so much.

And he still had so much more to go.

* * *

_**How long did it take for her to come around?**_


	25. Bad Luck or Bad Design

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 6/2/13 – Polished, added narrative, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 25: Bad Luck or Bad Design

**.:.**

The fifth day of travelling had proved to be most eventful.

Five whole days Link had been walking through the desert. The sun beat down on him harshly, causing beads of sweat to cascade down his face in pools. The hot rays of the distant star were beyond draining to the hero's already weakened body, making it an incredible feat simply to stay standing for longer than a few minutes.

This heat reminded him bitterly of his weeks spent in the Goron Mines. He shuddered at the memory – at least he could take solace in knowing that it was cooler here than in that volcanic prison.

He had practically grown used to the dry, scratchy feeling in his throat; he constantly felt parched. He had a small flask filled with water, and the first couple of days here he had drank until he quenched his thirst, not realizing truly how long this task would take and that he would need to conserve the liquid for the duration of the trip. So, realizing he still had quite the distance to travel, he was doing his best to drink as little as possible, and it had definitely started to take its toll on him.

The pain in his sides had not left him one bit. In fact, he had probably worsened it by all the moving around he had been doing. Midna had been right, he knew that all along, but that didn't change his opinion on the matter, either. He did his best trying to keep his mind on happier thoughts, reminding himself of the children and Ilia waiting for him back in Kakariko. He wished more than anything that he could just speak with her one more time; he had decided long ago that he would do everything in his power to bring back her memory, no matter what that entailed, and he ran his mind ragged trying to think of exactly how he would do that.

Cheerful thoughts couldn't stop the pain and dehydration from taking a front seat for long, though. He stumbled a bit, the toes of his boots kicking up sand as he shuffled his feet. He swallowed, his dry throat immediately protesting the action as he started coughing involuntarily.

His trachea was sandpaper – a scratching, annoying sensation ever present. His mouth was so dry it could rival the very desert he trekked across, not allowing him to muster up a single drop of saliva. The weapon and guard on his back were lead weights in his current state, only increasing his already heightened level of fatigue. His head pounded, and it felt as if someone had bashed it against concrete multiple times. Sweat covered him head to toe in a thick blanket; he wished he could tell his body to hold onto that water, because it wasn't helping him to cool down as it was intended to in the slightest.

When his legs buckled beneath his weight and he dropped to one knee, Midna began to worry all over again.

"What's wrong? You're hurting, aren't you? I told you we should have waited and let you rest! You never listen to m-"

He raised a hand to gesture her to stop, "I'm fine, Midna."

"Oh really?" she folded her arms over her chest, "That's why you're crumpled on the floor?"

He mustered a chuckle at her over exaggeration, "I'm not '_crumpled on the floor_,' I just need to rest for a minute."

"Mm hmm," she mumbled knowingly.

There wasn't any time left for a response as the pesky and endless sand worms dove from the ground and soared at the hero. Despite his slight disorientation and exhausted body and senses, he was able to hear the creatures coming before they struck, brandishing his blade and striking one down in mid-leap. He whirled around, getting to his feet and spinning his sword all the while, swiftly exterminating the last of them. With a huff, he sheathed his weapon.

"Maybe we should find some hard ground and rest for a bit," the hero suggested, wiping his brow with his forearm.

Midna nodded, "I agree. I wanna look at your bandage, too – make sure it's not soaked."

Link scratched the back of his neck in thought, "I appreciate it, Midna, but what would we do if it was?"

"Uhh…"

"We have no bandaging cloth left."

"For Din's sake!" she cried, "I forgot. Link, I don't think you can get through the rest of the desert like this. Not to mention, we still have that old prison to explore… Din only knows what's in there."

"We don't have a choice," he stated matter-of-factly, firm on his stance as he continued walking and searching for a secure place to relax.

The imp noticed him wavering, but he hid it well. She followed behind him silently for quite some time, recognizing his difficulties in dealing with the lesser worms of the desert. He actually masked that quite well, also, but having been with him and watching him fight for so many months, she knew exactly what it looked like when he was off his game – this was one of those times.

After hovering behind him mutely for a good amount of time, she finally decided to break the silence.

"Why are you so set on staying here and not going back to see that old shaman?"

He sighed, not even turning to meet her stare, "I'm too tired to talk about this right now."

She immediately grew livid with his answer, but did her best to reign in her emotions, "Fine. I see a safe place we could rest right over there," she pointed.

His gaze followed where she was gesturing to, and he went there as quickly as he could, plopping down on the hot rock as soon as he reached it. He exhaled slowly as he let his tired muscles relax. He closed his eyes as he concentrated solely on easing the tension throughout his body. He was also trying his hardest to moisten his mouth with the tiniest bit of saliva, but his salivary glands simply could not produce any. He ran his dry tongue over his chapped lips, tasting the familiar metallic tang of blood as one of the cracks had split open.

He opened his eyes and saw Midna hovering beside him holding up his canteen.

"There's not enough to last," his voice cracked slightly from the extensive dryness of his throat.

She pushed it closer to him still, "You have to drink something or you're not gonna make it."

He sighed, giving in as he lifted himself up to rest on his elbows, "Can't argue with that."

He grabbed the flask and took only a single, quick gulp, realizing that it was already slightly below the halfway point. He handed the small bottle back to his companion hastily, trying his best to resist the urge to drink more with much difficulty. After wiping his mouth with his forearm, he slinked back down to lie flat on the rocky terrain.

It was silent for some time after the imp had placed the canteen back into the hero's pouch. She looked him over as he lay there, obviously in discomfort. He was flat on his back with his left knee picked up off the ground and his right arm bent with his forearm over his eyes, blocking out the bright sun.

Before she could open her mouth to break the silence, much to her surprise, he took the initiative.

"I can't stand it here," he said at last, not altering his current position in the slightest.

Even though his eyes were covered, he could tell that Midna was confused by his words without even looking at her – most likely because she was silent.

"The answer to your question earlier, asking why I'm so set on staying here? It's because I can't stand it here."

"That makes no sense."

Link sighed as he propped himself up on his elbow and looked at his partner, "Look around," they both did just that, "Can you even see the lake from here?"

She gazed hard in each direction before answering positively, "No."

"We've come so far. It's so hot, I have sand all over, there's no water-"

"Exactly why we should go back!"

"But then we would have to start at the very beginning again, don't you get that? We've been going through this Goddess-forsaken desert for, what, four days now?"

"Five."

"And you'd really want to have to start over just because there are a few inconveniences?"

Midna scoffed, "They aren't just '_inconveniences_!' It's a matter of you living or you dying! But I guess that isn't that important to you."

He thought on it a moment, "It's not really the most important thing, no."

The imp's eyes grew wide, "Then what is?"

"Everyone else living."

She laughed a cold laugh, "Typical hero thing to say."

"It's just the truth," he stated as he lay back down.

Midna still wasn't pleased with his response, "You still haven't given me a proper answer."

Link sighed, taking a moment to condense his feelings into words, "I don't like to complain, but I just really hate it here, and I want to get done and get out as soon as possible. The desert is the polar opposite of what I'm used to; I feel so overwhelmed here. I'm used to huge trees and woods crowding me in and making me feel secure. Out here, there's _nothing_ for _miles_," he exhaled again, "I don't want to drag it out any longer than we have to," he paused to think, "Honestly, I don't know if I would even be able to bring myself to come back here if we left."

"Pff," the imp laughed slightly, "I doubt that. You've always been focused and driven. I'm sure knowing that you have to get through this place would be enough to get you to come back out here and get it done."

He sighed, and after a moment, gave her a smirk, "I think everyone thinks too much of me."

Midna smiled, "No. _You_ think too _little_ of yourself. Everyone else knows what you can do."

"Hm," was all he said as he turned his gaze up to the bright, baby blue sky.

She could see him contemplating her words – it was written all over his face like a book. After a few moments of silence, he proved her right.

"Thanks, Midna. I needed that," he said with a smile.

She half-smiled in return, "You're welcome."

The duo took the better half of the next hour to simply lie on the ground, looking up at the clouds and doing their best to relax. The sky seemed so bright here; maybe because there was only the single contrasting color of the sand beneath it to make it seem even bluer than it was. There weren't many clouds in the atmosphere, but with the few that _did_ come along, they argued over what shape it most reminded them of. One of the larger white puffs that rolled along Link had pointed out to look like Epona. Midna laughed at him hysterically, saying that it looked more like one of her tribe's shadow beasts. He became offended at her words - how dare she say his horse resembled a monster, he had said teasingly. Neither of them could hold back the smiles that ensued.

However, Link's grin quickly diminished when he realized he dreadfully needed to get back to crossing the desert. He hated it, he was in pain from the arrows, and he was dehydrated, but he knew he had to keep going.

"Link," his shadow spoke up as she showed herself and pointed straight ahead, "Do you see that?"

He picked his gaze up from his boots, instantly noticing what his partner was referring to, and a knot quickly formed in his stomach.

Way past the old prison, in the far distance, they spotted a humongous cloud of sand heading rapidly towards them.

"Farore…" the hero whispered under his breath in shock.

"What? What is it?" Midna began panicking.

"It's a sandstorm," he answered bluntly as he watched it closely, evaluating its speed.

"For Din's sake!" the imp shouted, "The Goddesses don't like to make things easy, do they?"

He turned to her, "Midna, you'll be fine as long as you stay in my shadow. Don't come out for even a second, okay? You might get blown away with the wind."

"Yeah, okay, but what about you?"

He turned to face forward again, taking a moment to make sure all of his things were tightly fastened to his body, "I'll be fine."

"But-"

"I'll be fine. Get in the shadow, okay?"

Midna sighed, not wanting to give in, but she realized they really didn't have a choice. She swooped down into the dark shadow on the ground and remained there.

Link watched the wall of sand quickly approaching after having double-checked that his effects were secure. He had to come up with a strategy to overcome this storm. He looked around frantically in every direction; his first thought being that he could hunker down and hide behind a rock formation or something similar that could shield him from the sand. But there was nothing _anywhere_ – the desert was completely flat and there was nowhere to hide and wait out the storm.

He then simply stood and watched the sandstorm in its charge for a moment, counting how many seconds it took for it to go from one marker to another, giving him a rough estimate of how long he had until it would reach him. He calculated that it was mere minutes.

Then he suddenly got a spark of an idea. Maybe if he ran with as much haste as he possibly could, he could make it to the prison before the storm hit. He knew it was a crazy idea, but it was all he had, and he had to go with it.

After taking in a long inhale and releasing it in an attempt to calm his rapid heartbeat, he started onward. At first he walked, until he picked up the pace into a jog, a sprint, and before long he was full-on _running_ with every ounce of speed and energy he had left in him.

His plan was foiled, however, in the single instance that it took for him to look down at his boots and back up again, his opponent had already passed by and engulfed his destination altogether.

He cursed under his breath but did not slow his pace one bit. Now, all he could hope for was making it far enough that he would only have to trek through the storm for a short time. As he ran, he began to notice the great amount of speed that the wall of sand had picked up. He looked left and right, seeing no end to the barrage in either direction. It had also gained such heights that he could no longer see the tips of the doomed prison beyond the cloud of sand.

There was nowhere to go and no way to avoid this – he would have to confront it head on. It was only feet in front of him now. He stopped dead in his tracks, digging his boots into the ground and covering his face with both of his arms as he prepared himself to be swallowed by the tempest.

The sand suddenly hit him like a ton of bricks; he didn't even notice that he had let out an involuntary yelp of pain upon impact. After the initial shock, he started walking again, desperate to get to the prison. He had to summon all of his strength just to push against the powerful gusts of wind – if he had taken even a second to relax his muscles he would have easily been knocked to the ground and buried in a flash.

Each individual grain of sand was like a boulder as they pelted his body ceaselessly. His leg muscles grew jelly-like with exhaustion as pushing against the storm was like swimming against an oncoming current of water. The wind beat against him senselessly, whipping him back and forth like a rag doll. Despite his attempts at protecting his face, his eyes stung with the presence of dust, he could feel the small grains of sand crunching between his teeth, every time he took in a much needed breath through his nose, his nostrils and airways burned as the foreign particles were taken in, and each time he swallowed he could feel the sand slicing at the inside of his throat.

As he slowly pushed himself forward, Midna's words about the Goddesses not making things easy popped into his head – it _did_ seem as if they were trying to make things as difficult as possible for him. He sometimes found himself wondering if everything that happened to him was because of him doing something foolish, or if it was the Goddesses' design that he should mess up.

Both options actually made sense for once.

The former was plausible simply because he knew that he had messed up on a number of occasions. Either he would make a mistake, he would simply not be paying attention, or he would be focused on something else entirely, and he would get himself hurt.

On the other hand, however, he wondered if this was the Goddesses' way of fashioning themselves a war-hardened and evil-destroying hero. After all, the ancient deities were certainly smart enough to know they couldn't pick up a farm boy and pit him against any malevolent force without him surely losing poorly.

No, they knew they had to fashion him into a stronger weapon in order for him to carry out their will. That brought up another topic the hero held such disdain for – was he honestly nothing more than a tool by which the Goddesses used for banishing evil from their beloved Hyrule? Did they not consider him a living, breathing human, but simply a pawn?

He tried not to think on it; it only made him angry at the Goddesses and he knew that that was not the best solution. He pushed the questioning thoughts aside and focused on what he had to deal with right now, first-hand.

The sandstorm didn't seem to let up in the slightest as he continued on for what felt like hours, although he was sure it was probably no more than mere minutes that ticked away sluggishly. He coughed and hacked as more and more sand found its way into his esophagus.

In a moment of either stupidity or bravery, he opened his eyes just barely a slit to ensure that he was still heading in the right direction. He could barely see two feet in front of him as millions of grains blew all around him in a flurry. His eyes immediately protested their use as they stung something awful, but he had just scarcely been able to make out a dark structure not too far from him now. It _had_ to be his destination.

It seemed as if they consistently had one stroke of bad luck after another; he could only hope everything would go as planned in the doomed prison. The Mirror of Twilight should be there and then they could finally face off with Zant and be done with this. All he could do was pray that at least _that_ much of their plan wouldn't be ruined.

* * *

_**Could the Goddesses have planned this, or does the chosen hero always suffer from bad luck?**_


	26. Jumping at Shadows

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 6/2/13 – Polished, added narrative, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 26: Jumping at Shadows

**.:.**

"Surprised to see me, boy?"

Not exactly, Link thought, but he wouldn't dare say that aloud and give the ogre such an unnecessary boost to his already heightened level of confidence.

"You could say that. I thought you would be much too cowardly to face me again."

The beast's grin turned sour as he snarled his lip angrily at the hero's gutsy response.

"'_Cowardly_'?" he shouted before turning to spit and pulling back his massive weapon in preparation.

In a sudden, blunt motion, the king of the Bulblins bludgeoned the hero's side, sending him flying before he collided bitterly with the ground. An involuntary grunt escaped his throat as the wind was forced from his lungs. The blow had hit one of his arrow wounds dead center, rendering him motionless for what felt like an eternity. He lay there momentarily, the recent events flooding his mind like an instant replay.

He suddenly remembered the sandstorm, and how he trekked through it for what seemed like days. He remembered arrows being flung at him from distant places that he couldn't make out through the thick cloud of sand before his eyes, but he also remembered that he had been quick enough to dodge the assault.

When he had finally made it into the battlements, the fog of sand slowly thinning out, he recalled seeing settlements, camps, and forts made by the Bulblins – perhaps they weren't entirely animalistic after all. He had been able to creep up on practically all of them, brandishing his bow quietly and sending arrows flying one after another in rapid succession, quickly dispatching of all the lesser trolls. He had significantly increased his skills at archery, Midna had pointed out, as he had shot down most of the beasts from a great distance away.

He remembered extinguishing all the Bulblins that he had run into before making his way past a wooden door that abruptly shut and locked behind him as soon as he entered. He had turned to look at it, spotting no one. He recalled seeing nothing but darkness and another one of the Bulblins' dumb hogs. That was when he had met face to face with the king of the mindless beasts once again.

His mind returned to the present in a slow, hazy fade. A dull throbbing found its way into his right side, the side that had taken the hit. The strike intensified the wounds he had already been harboring from the arrows previously.

He grimaced as he got to his feet and he noticed that the monster was sluggishly making his way over to him. He had a smug grin on his hideous face, obviously realizing that his opponent was in bad shape and thinking that he had already won. Link, however, smirked in return; this ogre's stupidity would be its downfall – one should never assume that they have won until their enemy draws their final breath.

The hero stood, wavered, and watched his adversary through slanted lids as he played up on the fact that he was hurt. He was, in fact, in quite a lot of pain, but not enough to stop him from killing this beast; he just wanted him to think it was.

The king laughed hoarsely, "Weakling! You fall much too easily!"

Link chuckled nearly inaudibly in return, "Weak? Maybe… but at least I'm not stupid."

Before the troll even knew what was coming, the hero grasped the hilt of the Master Sword, pulled it from its sheath, and left a sizable gash in the creature's middle in a single, fluid motion. King Bulblin recoiled with a loud, agonized wail of pain; the look of pure shock on the king's face was priceless. Link simply watched as he let his club clank to the ground before he shuffled off in defeat.

"I can't believe that ugly guy is still alive," Midna commented as she came into view.

"I can," Link rebutted, "I don't think that thing is going to rest until it sees me suffer."

The imp sighed, but before another word could be uttered, the sound of flint striking steel was heard, and suddenly the exit was set ablaze. The fire instantaneously spread throughout the flammable wood that surrounded them.

"What is it with everyone wanting to set us on fire?" Midna pointed out coldly, resulting in a dry laughter from the hero.

His first instincts were to try and push open the large, wooden door, only to find that it was heavily locked. He rammed his body into it harshly, but it didn't budge. The flames were starting to spread as pieces of lumber and debris began falling all around him from the ceiling. He then decided to hack away at the door with his blade, but that also proved to be futile. He frantically looked around the small room, urgently searching for any way to get out. That was when he spotted that same warthog, still mindlessly sitting there, blissfully unaware of its surroundings, and he got an idea.

He leapt up onto the mount's back and, after a bit of a fuss from the hog, he charged it straight for the exit. He had hoped that just maybe this creature would be daft enough to run full force into the door and smash it down.

Luckily, he was right. The pig charged the wooden blockade, sending it crashing into the ground only to run into another one, and another one, and another one. Link shielded his eyes from the pieces of wood that were flying haphazardly around him as the hog continued its stampede, knocking down several barricades as it went.

The pig ceased its rush as they finally emerged, once again, out in the open. However, this time they found themselves before a grand building. It architecturally resembled a coliseum, with its round structure and sky-scraping pillars. The hero's eyes widened as he gazed upon it, utterly shocked at its true size after seeing it as nothing more than a miniscule figurine in the distance for the past week.

He gestured his mount onward until he reached the stairs. He couldn't help but make a mental note to feed Epona an extra sugar cube when he saw her next – this vulgar smelling, rough riding pig made him appreciate his mare even more than he already did.

He dismounted at the foot of the tall stairway before he sent the ignorant creature off with a smack. He turned and gazed at the ominous prison before him and found himself feeling very put off by it.

His companion noticed his inaction, "What's the hold up?" she asked as she popped into his line of sight, but his eyes remained glued on his destination.

"Oh, nothing, nothing," he stammered after a few moments of silence. He shook his head as if to whisk the thoughts away.

Midna knew it wasn't '_nothing_,' but she also knew that he wouldn't tell her until he was ready to tell her. She knew him well enough by now to know that it was usually best to simply leave him be until he's ready to talk on his _own_ accord.

"If you say so," she cast him a sideways glance, trying to read the expression on his face at her response.

"I say so. Ready?"

Of course _she_ was ready; she'd been waiting for the moment to obtain the mirror for what felt like ages now. What worried her was if _he_ was truly ready.

She looked him up and down. She could see a few small, fresh speckles of blood amongst the old on his tunic over his lower torso and his back, meaning that his bandages must be soaked through. His skin was dirty with soot, and sand stuck to him in various places where his sweat was the heaviest. His eyes bore into her's with determination at their forefront, but she could easily see behind that façade; pain and fear filled the depths of his sapphire pools to the brim.

She had grown accustomed to seeing agony in her hero's eyes. She didn't like it, but it was simply truth. Fear, on the other hand, was something she rarely ever saw in him. She knew it when she _did_ see it, though, and she saw it now.

"Ready?" he asked again, slightly worried that she could see right through him.

She definitely could.

"I'm ready when you are."

He nodded with a forced smile and began ascending the stairs slowly. He went one step at a time, taking a moment to take in all of his surroundings. The closer he got to the door, the more apprehensive he felt, and before long, he found himself standing motionless before the dark archway. A cold breeze blew past him from the interior of the prison, rushing through his hair and sending a shiver down his spine that chilled him to the bone. He couldn't help but feel as if this was a place that he should _not_ be entering.

He could have sworn he heard a vague whispering in the air as the wind rustled past his ears. It sounded as if it had said something along the lines of, '_guilty_.' He thought on it a moment, trying to make sense of it, but found himself coming up blank. He came to the conclusion that he most likely imagined the occurrence altogether.

"What do you suppose that says?" his shadow brought him out of his trance as she pointed to some old lettering above the entrance to the prison.

Link took a step back to get a better look. He furrowed his brow as he gazed at the runes thoughtfully.

"It's really old," he murmured, "It looks like it says… '_Arbiter's_'…" he paused, trying to decipher the last bit, "The last part is hard to make out, but I think it says, '_Arbiter's Keep_.'"

Midna looked at him in sheer perplexity, "How can you read that?"

He glanced at her for a moment before casting his gaze down at the worn stone beneath him, "My, um," he cleared his throat, "My mother used to teach me all the variations of Hylian scripture. She used to say, 'understanding the kingdom's languages helps one better understand its history.'"

The imp was silent, so he continued.

"It was kind of hard to remember, and I'm not so sure I even read it correctly, but… I think that's what it says."

She still said nothing. He began to worry about what could possibly be going through her mind – even after all this time together she was still a complete mystery to him – so he decided to change the subject.

"What do you suppose '_Arbiter's Keep_' means?"

She smirked, disregarding his question, "All this time I've been calling you stupid. I thought you were downright senseless, unable to complete a thought without stopping to worry about someone else or stopping to do something idiotic and getting yourself nearly killed. I mean, how stupid do you have to be to almost die nearly seven ti-"

"Are you about to make a point or are you trying to make me feel like a moron?" he smiled crookedly in return.

She folded her arms over her chest, "My point is… how is it possible that you're brave, selfless, _and_ smart?"

He chuckled, "I'm nowhere near as perfect as you're making it sound, Midna. I'm really quite the opposite."

"Oh, I _know_ you're not perfect. You're practically riddled with flaws."

He couldn't help but laugh; he knew that was the truth, "Thanks."

"All I'm saying is… you never cease to amaze me."

He looked over at her, wondering if she was being genuine or if she was making another joke. Much to his surprise, he found nothing but sincerity when he met her gaze. Never being one for sentiments, though, the imp cut the moment short.

"So, are you ready to go?"

He turned and stared down the dark, ominous stairwell before him as he contemplated the question. He could feel the cloth around his middle slowly becoming more and more wet with blood, but he figured that if they got through the prison quickly enough, he would be fine.

He nodded, "Yes, let's go."

They didn't waste another moment. The hero went a bit slower than his usual pace, but Midna could deal with it. She wasn't sure if he was a bit more sluggish because he was frightened or because of his injuries – maybe even both.

The quiet tapping of his boots on the hard, stone floor as he descended the staircase reverberated off the enclosing walls, and that was all that could be heard. He glanced in every direction, seeing nothing but darkness ahead of him until he reached the bottom of the steps. Quite a ways ahead, at the end of the dark corridor, a string of lantern-light came into view and he sprinted for it, anxious to get out of the shadows.

What he found before him as he emerged in an open chamber didn't shock him, but he hadn't exactly been expecting it, either. He stood on one of the few chunks of solid ground left as the room was completely filled with nothing but sand.

As he approached the edge, a deep, circular pit of rushing sand came into view. Trails underneath the loose earth indicated that more pesky worms inhabited this place as well. Skulls littered the floor threateningly, along with other various bones and effects no doubt left by previous visitors that were not so lucky as to have made it out of this doomed place with their lives.

A gate at the far end proved to be his destination as it was the only way out of this chamber other than the entrance. The question was: how was he to get there?

Midna pointed out a nearby grating on the wall by which he could bridge the gap to the next piece of sturdy land with his clawshot. He made it safely, despite the complaint from his wounded sides, and proceeded to leap from one platform to the next, reminding him bitterly of having to do the same thing back in the mines as he leapt over pools of lava, only in this case it was pools of quicksand.

He wasn't sure which one was better.

When he found himself twenty or thirty feet before the next stone platform and nowhere to clawshot to, he was at a loss.

"Any suggestions?" he asked his partner as she came back into the world of light.

"Uh," she thought, looking around the room and coming up blank, "I think you're gonna have to run across the sand."

He stared at her, dumbfounded, "How am I supposed to cross quicksand? I'll sink."

"Not if you go fast enough. Do one of your fancy rolls of something."

"So I can sink headfirst?" he chuckled dryly, "Nice try."

"No, I mean it!"

He looked at her speechlessly; he couldn't believe she was truly proposing this.

"Just do it. It's either that or we stay right here and wait for the worms to eat us."

He sighed; he knew it was the only choice he had. He took in a deep breath, released it, and charged towards the rapidly moving grains. As soon as his boot touched the sand, it immediately began sucking him in. He protested it, quickly ducking into a roll and making great distance across the gap. Despite his efforts, he was still a good yard or two from his target.

When he found himself head above feet again, he started walking, desperately trying to fight against the strong current that was pulling at his legs. He was submerged almost to his knees by now, but he was _so_ close to safety. Taking even a single stride was demanding as the sand fought against him with all it had.

A few slow, labored steps later, he was close enough to grab onto the edge of the stone. He was covered up to his thighs, making pulling himself out quite the task, but he managed to do so. He heaved himself up onto stable ground and flopped onto his back with a long exhale.

"See?" Midna spoke up, "You made it!"

He remained on the cool floor, panting for breath, "Barely!"

"Still made it, though, didn't you?"

He cast her a begrudging glance only to receive a mischievous smirk in return. He couldn't help but give her a small smile back as he got to his feet and continued on.

He had thought after trekking through the desert that he might finally be rid of sand once he reached the prison – he could not have been more wrong. It seemed as if this place somehow had even _more_ of the irritating and itchy substance. Each corridor was filled with it, it cascaded down the walls like water where cracks had formed, and it occasionally fell from the ceiling in short bursts.

After finding some much-needed oil for his lantern in one of the chambers, he felt a peculiar sensation on his leg. It almost felt as if something was crawling up his calf muscle. He turned around to face the long corridor only to spot dozens upon dozens of bugs all heading straight for him.

He kicked his leg harshly, sending the one that had latched onto him soaring off. He then began stomping on the oncoming waves with his feet but found that their numbers were too great, and he would soon be overwhelmed by the disgusting creatures. Thinking quickly, he intentionally spilt a bit of oil from his lantern on the ground, and as soon as the annoying pests walked through it, he held the flame close enough to set them all ablaze.

A bit grossed out, he watched and waited as the dozens of unnaturally large insects were incinerated. Once they were all done in, however, he could still feel multiple gross insect legs worming around on his skin. He spun around violently, quickly whipping all the filthy nuisances off of him and sending them splattering against the nearby wall.

"Yuck," Midna whispered from his shadow, glad to have been able to remain hidden and untouchable during that little excursion.

He didn't like when he found himself entering a room completely void of light. The only thing he could see was the dim glowing of a torch on the opposite end, not helping him to see what might be lying in wait in the middle of the chamber. He brandished his lantern, and what he saw at first didn't shock him – more sand. After taking a few steps into the room, however, numerous skeletons rose from the ground and assailed him. Both shocked and disturbed, he swung the Master Sword at the hordes ferociously. They went down easily as their bones simply shattered to the ground.

"Skeletons?" he said aloud as if to reassure himself of what he just saw.

"Looks like it," Midna replied, obviously just as shocked herself.

The more he travelled through the keep, the more he felt like he was intruding on a place that he did not belong. Those feelings were only justified when he found himself in a large, open chamber with four blue-tinted flames. Opposite the young man stood a tall, dark archway, and from it came four hovering, unlit lanterns. Each of the lamps, in turn, approached one of the four torches and stole its light, a gate sealing off the exit after the display.

When the four now-lit lanterns began spinning around the hero, he knew this was a place he did not want to stay for long. He could feel a presence at that moment that put him off. The whispering he had heard prior to his entrance into this foul prison returned to him again as the lights danced around him.

_Hero, hero, hero…_

_How could you let your friends be taken by some senseless beast?_

_Have you no care for those that love you so?_

The voice echoed in his mind ominously. Was it a monster? A person? Was it speaking aloud or only to him?

"Who are you?" Link shouted.

_Your guilt consumes you._

_Your regret is plastered upon your face like words upon a page._

_You are scarred beyond recognition._

Could Midna hear this voice? Had he gone mad?

"Who are you!" he yelled again, agitation and horror evident in his tone.

_Your fear amuses us._

Three of the lights whisked off to places unknown, leaving only one that floated directly in front of his face. Unsure of what was going to happen, he unsheathed his sword and stood before the lantern until his companion suggested he change into his canine form.

He had her transform him, he honed in on his senses, and what he saw before him was a cloaked spirit. Its malevolence permeated the room; its dark features chilling the hero to the core. It continued to whisper things that he tried his best to ignore as he launched himself at the ghost's middle and gnawed away. It swung at him with much savagery, but it wasn't quick enough. Upon its defeat, he could feel the malice empty out into the cold air as the blue light returned to its original pedestal.

_You do not yet know what awaits you._

The whisper became fainter.

Midna removed the crystal, turning her partner back into his true form. The look on his face was one she had yet to witness on him until now.

"Did you hear it?" he asked anxiously, staring her down with all the seriousness in the world.

She was surprised at his heightened tone, "Um, I heard something that sounded like whispering."

"Did you hear what it was saying?"

She thought on it a second, "No, it wasn't saying anything. I just heard strange, faint mumbling. No words."

His expression changed entirely, "No words?"

She shook her head, "No."

Silence befell them as he desperately tried to figure out what had just happened, and if he had completely lost his mind.

"You heard words?" she questioned.

He looked back up at her, "Yeah. It was going on about… my guilt and regret."

She furrowed her brow a moment before gesturing it aside with her hands, "I'm sure it's nothing. Probably just some old, dead ghost trying to freak you out or something."

"I suppose."

"Ready to go on?"

He nodded, although he most certainly wasn't.

As a wolf, he discovered that he could use the stench of the spirit he had just killed in order to track down the others that he had yet to find. It smelled like dirt, mold, and ancient bones – it wasn't pleasant. He followed the trail down a flight of stairs and into a circular chamber. After dispatching of another skeleton or two, Midna reverted him to his Hylian form and pointed out something interesting.

"Link, look," the imp gestured towards the wall.

He turned and followed her gaze. What he saw were strange marks and carvings on the old, stone wall. He approached it, furrowing his brow as he examined it.

"Doesn't that look kind of like…" he trailed off and she, too, swooped in to get a closer look.

It was a carving of two figures – one was large with claws and horns, and the other was small and carrying a shield. Various other markings and lines were made above the figures that were hard to decipher, but the two people this image was trying to portray was quite clear.

"It looks like the Hero of Time," Link said at last before turning to look at the larger of the two, "And that must be Ganon."

"Ganon," Midna repeated with disgust.

"You know who that is?" Link asked as he turned to her.

"Of course. Remember? I told you, the history of the hero is well-known to my people, so obviously the evil tyrant the hero took down is going to be well-known, too. We aren't a completely oblivious race."

He ignored her last bit as he refocused on the drawings, "Why do you think a depiction of the hero battling Ganon is on this wall?"

The imp shrugged, "Beats me. Must've just been the carvings of convicts waiting to be executed."

"Hm," he mumbled, not entirely pleased with that answer.

"How do _you_ know about Ganon?"

He turned to her, a bit shocked that she would even ask, "Anyone who has any common knowledge of Hyrule knows him. Even those that never get the chance to attend proper schooling know the story of the Hero of Time and the battle against Ganon."

She nodded, "I see."

"My mother taught me all about the ancient hero… It was all I ever wanted her to tell me about, really," he chuckled slightly.

"It's quite the name to live up to, huh?"

He sighed, "You could say that."

The sudden sound of gnawing behind them caught their attention and drew them from their conversation as they both whirled around to see what caused it.

"Ew!" Midna shrieked.

Rats.

"Go kill them!"

Link smirked as he turned to her, "Don't tell me you're afraid of rats?"

She scoffed, unable to believe he would venture so far as to even say such a thing… even if it was true, "No! It's just… those ones are huge! And they're so gross! Ugh, please just kill them!"

He couldn't help but laugh but he did his best to hide it. These were, in fact, absurdly large vermin, and he exterminated them quickly before they continued on.

Another dark room – why did there have to be so many dark rooms? The chamber they entered had a navy hue as it was lit up with nothing but the dim, blue lanterns he had seen previously. As a wolf, though, he could smell the foul creature; it was hiding cleverly in here amongst the similarly colored lights. That was when he heard that dreaded voice again.

_Why do you venture further?_

_Why do you leave behind those that care for you so?_

_You let them take everyone you cared about._

He shook his head… no…

_You just sat there and let some mindless BEASTS take your loved ones!_

No…

_They know you don't care for them._

_Someone that truly cared for them wouldn't just let them go, would they?_

No!

_What kind of _hero _are you?_

_Your guilt will be your downfall._

_You are weak._

It was in his mind, he couldn't shake it. He finally spotted the demon and leapt through the air at it, eager to mute the voice in his head. It didn't stop until it was, at last, done in. He sighed as he had his companion return him to his true self.

"Didn't you hear it this time?"

"N-No," she muttered.

Had he been able to concentrate on her response, he would have noticed that she was hiding something, but he was just too worked up.

He grasped his head in between his hands, "I'm losing my mind, Midna. This voice… it won't leave me alone! It told me it knows I feel guilty for letting Ilia and the kids get taken by those stupid Bulblins months ago… It knows! How would it know that? I've gone crazy… Midna, have I lost my mind?"

She folded her arms over her chest as she took a moment to look him over, feeling sorry for him.

She finally spoke up, "No, you haven't," she hovered closer to him in order to look into his eyes, "I told you, it's just some nasty, bored ghost trying to scare you because it has nothing better to do. Okay?"

He met her gaze, "Do you really think so or are you just saying that?"

"I really think so."

He exhaled as he stood up straight, "I hope you're right."

Neither one spoke for a good few minutes after that; Midna was debating something in her mind.

Finally having come to a conclusion, she heaved a sigh and said, "I haven't been completely telling you the truth."

A confused expression took over his features, "What do you mean?"

She turned her back to him, "I've been hearing that voice, too."

He sighed in relief, "Midna, why didn't you tell me? I thought I had gone mad."

"I'm sorry. I just felt… ashamed."

"Of what?"

"I don't know. I guess the simple fact that I _have_ so much to regret and feel guilty about."

He walked around her small frame so that he would be in her line of vision, "Everyone has regrets, and although I'm not so sure _everyone_ is burdened by guilt, you know I'm right there with you on that one."

She met his gaze but said nothing.

"You know we're together in this, right?"

She smiled, "To add to my list earlier: you also always know exactly what to say to make someone feel better."

He blushed slightly, never having been good at taking compliments, "It just… makes me feel better to make others feel better, you know?"

She grinned ear to ear with a giggle, "You _really_ never cease to amaze me."

* * *

_**Sometimes, the shadows jump back.**_

* * *

**A/N: **The Hylian text in the game above the entrance to the Arbiter's Grounds actually does translate to 'Arbiter's Keep,' which is why I had Link read it that way in this chapter. Also, the Hero of Time and Ganon carvings on the walls Midna and Link saw are really in the game in various locations throughout the inside of the Arbiter's Grounds. There are also drawings of Koume and Kotake as well as lots of random Hylian scripture. See if you can find them in your game! :)


	27. The Dead See All

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 6/2/13 – Polished, added narrative, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 27: The Dead See All

**.:.**

There were hundreds of them, and they came in throngs.

Skeletons after skeletons in the same, narrow corridor filled with endless amounts of quicksand; he felt as if he had been crushing stale bones for hours. Were all these creatures the remains of the dead being reanimated by their still-alive spirits? Or were they simply senseless monsters without a purpose? In order to ease his conscience and keep his sanity, he went with the latter.

After having dispatched of all the lesser beasts, he whirled around on his heel, sheathing his blade as he did so. When he turned around, however, what he saw before him nearly made his heart leap from his chest. His eyes met dead center with the decrepit, old bones of a larger skeleton's ribcage. He sucked in a shocked breath as his gaze travelled up the length of the creature until they locked glares. It was staring down at him threateningly as it crouched down to his level.

He was dumbfounded as the redead's skull remained inches from his face, its empty eye sockets drilling into him terrifyingly. It was as if it was staring into his very soul as it inched closer, cocking its head side to side slowly as it examined him. He was beyond horrified when he finally decided to reach back and grab his sword. He did so gradually and he kept his eyes glued on the skeleton all the while, hoping the creature wouldn't notice his actions. Before his gloved hand could even grasp the hilt, it did something he did not expect.

It screamed.

It was an ear-splitting, deafening screech unlike anything he had ever witnessed. Its piercing sound reverberated off the walls, off the ceiling, even off the sand, only amplifying it further. It permeated his body like a poison, stilling his movements. It rattled his brain, turning it to mush and rendering him powerless. His limbs became stone as he found himself paralyzed in place, unable to move no matter how hard he tried. He could hear nothing else, he could feel nothing else; there _was_ nothing else. Pain was a river that flowed over him mercilessly, so long as that blasted redead kept _screaming_ – he was defenseless against it.

By the time it finally stopped, he had hardly even noticed; he was still completely dumbstruck. Midna's call from his shadow, however, came just in time. He opened his eyes to see the skeleton lifting its blade overhead, preparing to bring it crashing down on top of the hero, crushing him. He reacted just in time, bringing out his Hylian shield to bear the brunt of the onslaught. As feeling slowly began finding its way back into his limbs, he summoned all his strength and pushed his shield against the redead. It stumbled back and when he noticed it opening its jaw for another blood curdling shriek, he unsheathed his blade and sliced at its neck, lobbing off its head in a single swing.

The skull fell to the ground, and soon after, its body slumped down after it with a dull thud. Link sighed as he placed his sword back in the scabbard and hooked his guard onto his back. The creature was dead – if you could really call it that, seeing as how it shouldn't have been alive to begin with – but it managed to leave the hero with a nasty migraine. He could feel his heart pulsing in his temples as he rubbed them with his fingers, desperately trying to ease away the throbbing.

"You okay?" he vaguely heard his shadow ask at his side.

"Yeah, just… what the hell was that?" he asked, stopping to glance over at the pile of bones on the floor.

She looked, too, and with a shrug of her shoulders, said, "I don't know. Freaky, though, huh?"

He scoffed, "You could say that. That thing's scream felt like death itself."

"Maybe that was the point. All the monsters in this place seem to have it out for us."

"Don't they always?" he said with a dry chuckle.

She returned the dark humor with more of her own, "Well, yeah, I guess they do."

Everything went silent for a moment, the duo both obviously contemplating something.

Midna looked around the small chamber nervously, "Is it just me… or do you hear-"

"Breathing?" Link filled in the blank.

She looked at him wide-eyed as she nodded her head.

Link glanced around the area as well, trying to find the being that was making the ominous sound, "Do you suppose it's those po-"

_Fool!_

_You cannot hope to escape this place alive!_

"Show yourself!" he yelled, growing more and more annoyed with these voices.

_Hah!_

_Humans amuse us._

"Midna, turn me into a wolf."

Without a thought or another word, she produced the dark crystal and Link transformed into a canine before her eyes. He sniffed out that horrible smell, leading him to a buried lever near the wall.

_Why do you search for us?_

_It will only end in your demise._

He ignored the voice as best he could as he tugged on the chain. To his surprise, it rolled a section of the wall to his side away, revealing a hidden room behind it. There it was. The poe floated carelessly in the dark chamber, mocking the hero and his companion all the while. Link growled and snarled, showing his teeth as he waited for his opportunity to strike.

_Why do you seek to destroy us?_

_Your guilt and regret will remain nonetheless._

He barked loudly, wanting nothing more than to tear this thing apart. When his chance came, he seized it ferociously; gnawing away at the dead creature's rotted face until it spoke no more. After being turned back into his true form, he tried to spit the vile taste from his mouth, only to find that he could not produce the saliva, and he was instantly reminded of just how _thirsty_ he really was. Having been so focused on not sinking in the quicksand or being killed by a skeleton or a ghost, his mind had put his pain and discomfort aside.

He looked up at his companion who had a startled look upon her face, "Hey, are you alright?" he asked as he reached into his pouch and retrieved his canteen.

She returned his gaze, "Y-Yeah. Those guys just give me the creeps is all."

He took a swig of water, immediately displeased at how very little he was able to scrounge up. He sighed and tucked it away in his knapsack before replying, "I know, I hate them, too. Let's just get this place over with."

The imp nodded and dove back into his shadow without another word, and they continued on. What they found waiting for them in the next corridor, however, threw them for a loop yet again. No matter how shocked they seemed to find themselves at one turn, the next only pushed them even farther.

He descended a small flight of stairs on his way through the chamber and as he continued to trek through it, he found himself feeling strangely weighted down. The more he walked, the heavier he felt, and soon he began to feel claws digging into his skin. Legitimately disturbed, he looked down at his leg where he felt the most pressure, and found nothing, not even those pesky bugs from before.

He tried to ignore it, chalking it up to the fact that this place had probably just driven him to insanity, and that he was more than likely imagining it altogether. The more he tried to push it aside, however, the more prominent it became. He was soon able to feel rustling over his skin, as if something was racing up and down the length of him. It became too much when he felt teeth digging into his flesh and drawing blood.

"Agh!" he screamed as he flicked his arms, hoping to throw off whatever was latched onto him.

"What is it?" Midna asked worriedly as she flew out of his shadow.

"Something's on me! Wolf, now, please!"

Confused, she fumbled hurriedly with the gem, and as soon as she hopped onto his back, she knew what he was talking about.

"EW! What's on me! LINK! Get them off!"

He could see them now. Dozens of rats had attached themselves to him, and now to Midna as well. No doubt, by her reaction, she could feel them, but she couldn't see them – he didn't plan on telling her what they were, either.

"LINK!"

He tried biting into each of them and ripping them off, but that only seemed to make them dig their teeth and claws into his flesh deeper. Then, remembering how he had gotten the insects off of him previously, he spun around as quick as he could, flicking his tail and sinking his teeth into one that was embedded into his shoulder at the same time. Most of them flew off and collided harshly with a nearby wall, the rest, however, he simply bit to death; he found it strangely satisfying.

"For the love of Din, Link! Get it off me! Please!"

He looked over at his partner who had been flung from his back in the process. He hadn't meant to throw her off, but it seemed to work on the rats that had clung onto her as well as only one remained. He sunk his teeth into the huge, dead vermin attached to the imp's front, a squeal emanating from it as he did so. He ripped it free of her and with a flick of his neck he sent it flying into the wall where it expired with the rest of them.

"Ew, ew, ew, ew…" Midna mumbled as she dusted herself off and frantically looked herself over, "Link! What was that!" she yelped as she extracted the crystal from his forehead.

He grumbled a bit from the pain of the relentless transforming and tried to think of what to tell her.

"It was, uh, just some ghosts," he stammered, scratching the back of his head.

She placed her hands on her hips as she floated up to his eye level now that he was standing, "'Just some ghosts,'" she parroted, not believing him in the slightest.

"Yep," he did his best to avert her gaze, "Well, let's get going then."

She hovered in front of him, blocking his path, "No way! Not until you tell me what those things were!"

"Midna, I really don't think you want to know."

"Obviously I _do_ or I wouldn't be asking!"

He sighed, "Rats."

The color drained from her face, "…Say what?"

"Rats. Dead, ghost rats."

She was silent. Her one, visible eye bore into him blankly.

"Happy I told you?" he asked with a teasing smirk.

She was still quiet, trying to collect herself before she finally uttered, "Oh… my… Link! How could you let those things get all over me! For Din's sake! What kind of hero lets his partner get attacked by rats! Goddesses! Now I'm going to have to burn off my skin! I'm infected with Din knows what diseases! I could ha-"

She stopped mid-sentence as she noticed him doubling over in fits of laughter.

"And you think this is funny!"

"No! Well, yes, it's just," he tried in between hysterics, "I don't know what I would do without you."

She folded her arms over her chest as she narrowed her eyes, "Don't think you can say something nice and make me forget about those rats."

He exhaled a long breath as he calmed himself down and straightened up, "No, I mean it. Here we are, in this horrible place where I'm seriously close to losing my mind," he motioned around them before turning back to her and smiling, "and you somehow can always manage to make me laugh."

She matched his gaze, feeling truly touched when she saw nothing but sincerity in his eyes. She sighed as she dropped her hands to her sides, "I just can't stay mad at you anymore."

He chuckled, "Good."

With that, they continued on. They encountered more skeletons, more sand, and more other strange monsters, but much to Midna's delight, they didn't see any more ghost rats for now.

There were various carvings in nearly every chamber they entered. Most consisted of drawings of the ancient hero battling Ganon, but there were others that depicted people or creatures that neither of them recognized. There were also many words etched into the walls, most of which were the last wills and regrets of prisoners trapped here years ago. They paid attention and examined almost every carving they came across, that was, until they started finding words and phrases that left them feeling uneasy, at which point they began ignoring them.

There was such an overwhelming number of living skeletons in the grounds. Link hated it; he couldn't help but feel like he was killing lost spirits who were stuck here and unable to find their way to the Sacred Realm – if that's where they were headed, anyway.

When they found themselves in yet another large, shadowy room, they knew exactly what was coming.

_Too much time spent among the darkness will make you part of it._

_You want to become part of the darkness?_

It laughed as its lantern came into view and Midna changed him into a wolf upon his request. He watched it as it created three copies of itself; as if the one wasn't enough. They each began to speak in turn, right on top of the one before it.

_You are a foolish human._

_You will never make it out of here alive._

_We will enjoy devouring your soul._

_You will never be the same again._

Shut up! That was all he wanted to say, but he knew he couldn't, and even if he could, it wouldn't have made a difference anyway. Instead, he lunged through the air at the nearest spirit, flying right through it, meaning that it was one of the false duplicates. He tried the next, and the next, until there was only the one left. Before he could exterminate it, it proceeded to copy itself yet again.

_You can never escape the darkness._

He watched as they circled around him menacingly, concentrating on which one was the real one.

_We see the terrible things you've done._

_We see everything!_

When he knew he had spotted the true poe, he flung himself at it. He made contact, sinking his teeth into its throat and ending the noise. Midna withdrew the crystal from the hero's head a bit frenetically, obviously shaken up by the poes. Link, however, didn't stand up like he usually did; he remained on all fours.

"Are you okay?" she asked, floating down to his level to look him in the eyes.

He nodded, "Yeah, just…" he huffed, "Fine. I'm just fine."

"Don't lie to me. Are you still in pain? Or are the poes getting in your head?"

"Both," he breathed heavily as he picked up his upper body and leaned back to rest on his shins, his hands covering the wounds in his middle all the while, "The constant transforming back and forth really isn't helping the fact that I'm already injured," he chuckled dryly, trying to lighten it up and make it seem like it wasn't weighing down on him as much as it really was.

"Don't sugar coat it. Give it to me straight."

He sighed, "Midna, I-"

"No. Since we've got a ways yet to go together, we both need to promise that we're going to be completely honest and straight forward with each other."

He looked down and away from her stare.

"I mean it. Link… this is seriously becoming a matter of life or death here. We need to be completely honest with each other so we don't lose our minds, got it?"

He picked his head up and re-met her gaze, giving her a not-so-sure nod soon after.

"Alright then, out with it. Lay it all on me."

He exhaled as he prepared himself, never having been one for laying all his emotional turmoil on someone, "I'm in pain - a lot of it. I'm dehydrated and thirsty as hell. These ghosts are getting in my head and are driving me insane. I'm damn near my breaking point in here and I just want to get out of this Goddess-forsaken place as soon as we can."

She smirked as she had been listening intently; she was just so glad she could get him to open up to her more now.

"Feel better?"

He let out a ragged breath, "A little."

"Okay, then let's hurry up and get out of here. These poes are making me lose my mind, too."

Just as she started to head back into his shadow, he stopped her.

"Wait."

"What?"

"You hear them talking, too, right?"

She nodded slowly, not liking where this was going, "Yeah…"

"What do they say to you?"

She glanced away quickly, avoiding eye contact, "Oh, uh, probably just the same stuff they say to you. Okay? Let's go."

"Hey! No, no, no," he said, grabbing her wrist to stop her, "What happened to, 'we need to be completely honest with each other,' huh?"

She sighed, "I promise I'll tell you, okay? Just… not now. Can we go… please?"

He stared at her momentarily, trying to figure out what she was thinking, but to no avail.

"Alright," he gave in reluctantly, knowing that if she said she would tell him later, she meant it.

Nearly every corridor in the grounds was filled with endless pits of quicksand; his boots were no doubt filled to the brim with the stuff by now. To Midna's dismay, as they went on, they found themselves being assaulted by more ghosts of dead rats, along with more of those annoying insects. They were easily dispatched of; they were simply disgusting and frustrating creatures that neither of them ever wanted to come across again.

That feeling of being in a place that they shouldn't be resurfaced when they entered a dark arena-like room. The door shut and locked behind him, a horrible feeling that Link was beginning to grow accustomed to.

A thick layer of fog filled the air of this chamber, making it difficult to see the opposite side. An old, musty odor grew stronger the farther he stepped in. He could hear a faint whispering come to his ears, but no words could be made out. Something was wrong; he didn't want to be here, he _shouldn't_ be here, and he knew it, but he couldn't stop now.

In the center of the hard floor sat a massive blade, and the closer he drew to it, the louder the whispers became. Upon inspection, he found that he was able to read an inscription on the hilt of the blade. It read: '_death_.'

As soon as the word entered his mind, the sword became animated. It struck down at the hero, but he rolled out of the way just in time. He watched as the hefty blade swung about in the air of its own accord and he immediately knew what was behind this as it began speaking.

_The light in you will be snuffed out._

Midna knew just as soon as he did, and she revealed herself quickly to change him into his canine form. It was a poe, just like the others, only much larger. He couldn't see its face, but he assumed it looked just as frightening as the rest. When he leapt at the ghost and bit at its skull, however, he found himself to be wrong yet again. The assault maddened the beast, causing it to reveal itself fully, even to the naked eye.

His companion could see it now, too; he knew because he could see the fear in her eyes. She transformed him back into his Hylian state since he could now see the beast with his own, human vision – it was terrifying. Its skeletal structure was not human, but monstrous, and its glowing, red eyes seemed to pierce into his very soul.

_Can you see us now?_

_Can you see us!_

When he went to grab the Master Sword, something the poe said caught his attention.

_Do you not know of the fate of your loved ones?_

_Do you not know how they suffer because of you?_

"You lie."

_You will never see them again!_

"You lie!"

Before his very eyes, he could suddenly see everyone he cared for. Ilia, Colin, Renado, Rusl, and everyone else from both Ordon and Kakariko stood in the center of the room. When he tried to approach them, they turned and glared at him, hatred in their eyes that stopped him dead in his tracks and made his blood run cold.

"_You let them take us,"_ Colin.

"_You let the village get attacked,"_ Rusl.

"_You let them take my memory,"_ Ilia.

"N-No…" Link stumbled backwards, "I didn't… I didn't m-mean to-"

_We know all the hurtful things you've done._

_Do you see your loved ones now?_

_They know all the hurtful things you've done._

_You will never see them again._

"No!"

_They will rejoice in your death._

_You were nothing to them._

"Shut up!"

The ghost of Ilia sauntered up to him and he watched tensely.

"_You just stood there and let them take us. You just stood there and let some stupid BEASTS take US!"_

He shook his head, trying to get it in his mind that this wasn't real and that this was all just a trick being played on him by 'some bored, old ghost,' as Midna had put it earlier.

"_Everything is your fault. I lost my memory because of YOU!"_ Ilia screamed as she produced a dagger.

His eyes grew wide as she pulled back her arm, preparing to stab him.

"No!" he yelled as he went to grab her wrist, but he found himself unable to touch her. His hand went right through her like a hazy mist as the small blade came rushing down and slid into his chest. He felt the initial burst of pain, but as he looked down, he found no wound.

_They hate you._

_They know that you have done nothing but bring them pain._

_We will enjoy watching the light in you fade away._

When the monster laughed, so, too, did the foggy forms of his loved ones.

_Succumb, now, to your guilt and regret._

_Succumb, now, to the darkness._

Link looked up from where he had been grasping at his chest after realizing he wasn't truly hurt. He locked eye contact with the evil poe and screamed, "No!"

He raised his blade and charged at the malevolent spirit, but it quickly hovered away from him. Not having the energy to chase it down, he retrieved his bow and drew back the string, releasing an arrow that met its mark dead center. The demon writhed in pain but was not yet done in.

_Do not think we do not know what you truly wish for._

_We know that you tire of the burden placed upon you._

_You berate your damned Goddesses._

_You hate them!_

He tried desperately to continue ignoring its words as he let projectiles fly.

_You tire of being the hero._

_You tire of the cries of the helpless._

_Let the darkness take you and you will not have to worry about these things ever again._

"Shut up!" he shouted again, even though he knew it was no use.

When the beast vanished, he once again was shown a vision of his loved ones. This time, however, he was watching each of them fall down lifelessly… one after another. He collapsed to his knees as a pained sob escaped his lips.

_We drink in these beautiful sounds._

_The cries of pain and death are music to our ears!_

As the visions of his friends and family faded and the monster once again came into view, Link barely had the strength to raise his weapon. He soon found himself without a choice, however, as he looked up to see the form of Ilia coming after him once again, dagger raised.

"_Why would you do this to me? Don't you love me?"_

Link got to his feet, "Il-"

"_Don't you love me!"_

She swung the blade at him and he instinctively raised his hand to grab her wrist. This time, however, it actually worked.

"_I told you I loved you, and what did you say?"_

He grasped her wrist firmly, but said not a word.

"_What did you say!"_

"Nothing! I said nothing!"

There were tears streaming down her cheeks, _"I love you! Come be with me! Please! I'm so lonely here without you!"_

He stared into her glassy eyes.

"_Link… I love you. Won't you come be with us?"_

She calmed down and lowered her weapon as she motioned behind her at a scene of everyone happily standing before Ordon Village. He gazed at the sight before him, and then back at Ilia. There was a part of his mind that wanted nothing more than to agree and stay in this place where none of the twilight ever happened, the children were never kidnapped, and Ilia never lost her memory. But, the other part of his mind knew that this wasn't real.

"_Come stay with us. We all love you _here_."_

He gave her a once-over before stating bluntly, "You're not Ilia."

Her face dropped instantly, _"I am Ilia! I'm the one you left to DIE!"_

Before she could raise her weapon for a third time, the hero took out his blade and sliced her clean through the middle. The fog that was her form dissipated along with the scene of Ordon, and all that was left was the source of that annoying voice.

_That is why they hate you._

_You slaughter them mercilessly!_

He paid the demon's words no mind as he grabbed his bow and shot it down once, twice, and after taking the fourth arrow to the skull, it fell to the floor. Link ran up to it as quickly as he could and hacked away at it viciously. Just before it faded into a cloud of dust and locusts, it uttered one final threat:

_This place has tainted you._

_The stain on your soul will never wash out._

_You will never be able to forget what you saw here._

* * *

_**Embrace your guilt and your fears, or be ended by them.**_


	28. Haste Makes Waste

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 6/2/13 – Polished, added narrative, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 28: Haste Makes Waste

**.:.**

All he could manage to do was crumple to his hands and knees and sob. They were quiet, pained sobs - the kind you would hear from someone that was desperately trying to hold back, but was nearing the point where they were no longer able to.

What he had just witnessed replayed in his mind over and over again, despite how much he wished it away. He knew the images of his loved ones weren't real, he knew they were merely scenes conjured up by the evil spirits of the grounds, but that didn't stop his mind from wandering to the worst. They were, indeed, fake, but had that poe hit the nail on the head as to their feelings of anger toward him? Did the children and the villagers truly hold Link responsible for the day the kids were kidnapped by the Bulblins? If Ilia's memory were to ever return to her, would she, too, hold her once-best-friend accountable for her amnesia?

It was too much to contemplate, too much to bear. His body sunk down lower as he leaned forward and rested on his forearms, his forehead touching the ground as he attempted to calm himself down. When he felt a light tapping on his left shoulder, he nearly leapt out of his skin as he sat up straight and put his weight on his kneecaps. He brandished his blade towards whatever beast was aiming to taunt him this time, only to discover that it was a very frightened and disturbed looking Midna.

She sucked in a shocked breath as the tip of the steel brushed against her cheek. She closed her eyes by instinct, but when she realized she was still alive, she opened them to meet the gaze of the hero. His eyes were wet with tears and laden with anguish. When it set into his mind that he was pointing his weapon at his one and only companion, he simply uncoiled his fingers and let the sword clank to the hard floor before he resumed his previous position on all fours.

"Link…" the imp called quietly.

When she got no response, she hovered closer. This time, however, she was extremely careful not to startle him; she didn't really want to have her head nearly lobbed off twice in only a matter of minutes.

"Link," she chimed again, "What did you see?"

He wept louder, but uttered not a word.

"Talk to me… please?"

"Everything is my fault…" he stammered sadly.

"What do you mean?" she questioned as she cautiously placed a dainty hand on his quivering shoulder.

"It's my fault the kids got kidnapped. It's my fault the village was attacked. It's my fault…" he paused, "It's my fault Ilia can't remember who I am!"

He pounded his fist against the ground harshly in pure, unbridled anger. Anger at himself, anger at the Goddesses, anger at the world – just _anger_.

"None of those things are your fault, Link."

He picked himself up and leaned back onto his shins, "Then whose is it!" he shouted.

She flinched at the level of his voice; she had never seen him this upset, "It's no one's…" she shook her head, "No one's."

He scoffed, "No, it's mine. I should've been able to stop those stupid ogres. I should've been able to stop them! If not me, then who! Who, Midna!"

"I-…" she sighed, a single tear rolling down her cheek as she stopped herself. She wiped it away hastily – she didn't want him to see her cry, "I don't know… but, Link, you saved the kids. You shouldn't beat yourself up over something you've already been able to fix."

"Sure, the kids are safe _now_, but what about what they had to go through being kidnapped by those beasts? They will _never_ be able to forget it. And what about Ilia? Din knows if she'll ever be able to remember anything ever again! Goddesses… what will her father think of me? What will the whole village think? Farore… they'll all hate me. That ghost was right, everyone wi-"

"Link, for Din's sake, shut up!"

His eyes grew wide as his jaw hung open in mid-sentence. He closed his maw speechlessly as the imp went on.

"I saw some horrible stuff, too, okay? You just need to get it through your thick skull that it's done and over with and there's nothing you or anyone else in this Goddess-forsaken world can do about it! It's in the past and it can't be undone!"

She stopped as an uncontrollable sob ripped throughout her and she turned away so as to try and hide it from him. He could hear her, though – the quick, ragged breaths, the whimpering, the sniffling. He closed his eyes and hung his head as he quickly felt even worse about himself; he hadn't even stopped to consider the fact that she had probably witnessed something unbearable as well.

He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly as he ran his hands down his face and rubbed at his eyes, drying the tears. He was silent and still as he took a few moments to compose himself and get calm for her sake. He got to his feet and walked over to her. He stood behind her, not wanting to witness the sorrow on her features – he didn't know if he could withstand seeing more of his friends in pain.

"Midna… what did _you_ see?"

She shook her head, not wanting to answer.

"Come on, I'll tell you if you tell me," he smirked slightly, trying to lighten the mood if only by a hair.

She whirled around, eyeing him strangely, "This isn't some game, you know," she sniffled, "People's lives are at stake. People are…" she paused as she glanced down at the floor and then back up, "People are dying. This is all so much bigger than us, don't you get that?"

He sighed as he hung his head for the second time in the last three minutes; he just couldn't help but feel more and more like he never did the right thing. He looked back up at her, "Of course I get that this is bigger than us. That simple fact is nearly always on my mind. But… just because we're in over our heads doesn't mean we can let that get us down. If we let that fact consume us…" he paused, not wanting to think of the outcome, "We'll fail."

She scoffed, "Weren't you the one just lying on the floor screaming about how horrible everything is?"

"Yes," he exhaled, "But that wasn't getting me anywhere. No sense wallowing around about things that are in the past and can't be undone, right? Isn't that what you said?"

"Yeah," she said as she dried her eyes with the sides of her pointer fingers.

"I know you don't want to talk about what you saw, and truthfully… I would really rather not relive it right now, either. So, how about we tell each other another time, after we've both had some time to heal from it," he looked at her tentatively, gauging her reaction to his suggestion by the expression on her face.

She brushed the back of her hand against her nose, "Alright."

"Alright," he breathed, "Now let's get the hell out of here."

Midna couldn't help but smirk and agree whole-heartedly, "That's a great idea."

As the duo went to leave the room, they came across a peculiar object that the hero simply couldn't help but examine. He picked it up and looked it over. It had a round design with a flat top and a narrow bottom – he had no idea what it was meant for. At first he tried throwing it, thinking that maybe it was meant to be a heavyweight weapon, but it clunked to the ground and toppled over uselessly.

When he inspected it a bit more closely, he noticed that the ridges had a distinct design to them that very much resembled the strange rail-like channels in the walls. He set the bizarre item in the groove in the nearby wall and stood on top of it, but it didn't budge. He tried kicking off a bit and it began to move slowly, but nowhere nearly enough to keep up the momentum.

Getting an idea, he grabbed the device and jogged a ways away from the stone wall, creating some distance between them. With the round contraption held firmly in his hand, he sprinted full-speed towards the wall. Once he was close enough, he let the object fall to the ground near his feet and he quickly leapt on. It instantly connected with the railing and it carried him all the way to the exit on the far side of the chamber.

He smiled as he reached his destination; he had found that to actually be quite enjoyable. He decided, seeing as how it spun around in the grooves in order to get from one place to another, that he would call his new toy the spinner.

When he found himself in a massive room filled with nothing but quicksand and spinner railings, he knew exactly what to do. He ran for the first channel in the wall that he spotted, dropping his newly acquired item and riding it quite some time before he made an attempt at jumping over to the next railing. He hadn't accounted for the sheer distance, however, and ended up falling short.

The edge of the spinner clanked against the wall and bounced off, rebounding him into the middle of the endless pit of sand. He tried his best to kick off anything he could, if only just to nudge it a little farther, but it only went a foot or two before he found himself standing stationary, and he toppled off the spinner.

The sand immediately latched onto his feet. He spotted a piece of land and started in that direction, but there were still many yards of quicksand before it. The more he walked, the deeper he sunk. His legs were soon fully submerged in sand up to his hips.

Pushing through the millions of grains in order to walk had become practically impossible; it was like wading through deep water with hundreds of pounds in lead weights strapped to each leg. The sand was a vacuum, sucking him down more and more and no matter how much he tried to resist it, he simply wasn't able.

When he found himself in past his waist, he grimaced as tiny granules of sand found their way into his wounds.

"Stop moving, Link!" Midna shouted as she darted out of his shadow and hovered high above the pit.

"But," _huff_, "I'm so close," he reached his left hand towards his destination, still a few feet away.

"Don't be an idiot, you're not gonna make it there before you sink! Just stay still!"

He shook his head as he continued trudging forwards. In his frazzled mind, standing still would only make him go down without having even tried to survive, making him seem like he had simply given up. Midna would not have thought that in the slightest, but there was no convincing him otherwise. He was so frantic to get to land that he saw no other option than continuing on, despite the extreme struggle it had become.

His body grew heavy and weak as his chest went under. The weight of the sand all around him felt like he was trapped in a landslide with dozens of boulders lying on top of him. It began to crush his chest and constrict his airways as the quicksand engulfed him to his collarbone. He gasped for air and extended his left arm outwards, reaching for something, anything, that he could latch onto, but there was nothing.

The imp watched in horror as she darted over and grabbed his outstretched arm with her hand, but the pull of the sinking sand was much stronger than her. "Link, please! Just stop moving! We didn't come this far for something stupid like quicksand to do you in!"

He paid her no mind; he probably couldn't even hear her. As his chin grazed the top of the sand, his lungs began screaming for air; a burning sensation in his chest from the lack of oxygen causing his vision to blur. Specks of black framed his sight like a photograph as he tried desperately to fill his lungs, but to no avail.

He watched as his companion tugged hopelessly on his arm and he could see her mouthing something, but he heard no words. She looked like she was screaming, like she was horrified, but he heard nothing. The last thing he saw was sand billowing on top of him before he shut his eyes instinctively.

It dragged him down and down, as if a monster had a hold of his legs and was pulling him into the depths; he was defenseless against it. Midna held onto his hand firmly as she watched his head go under; she refused to let her last contact with him go, too.

She fought back the tears that dared to spill over her lashes as she shrieked at the hero for being so stupid. His hand clutched her's tensely as well, as if he was holding on for dear life – although he actually _was_. When the sand devoured his arm and left naught but his hand to grab onto, Midna felt his grasp go limp, and she watched in terror as the quicksand finally claimed the last of him.

The imp floated directly above where her hero waded in the sand only moments ago. Her jaw was agape and her eyes were wide in utter disbelief of what she had just witnessed. She had to be dreaming; this _had _to be a nightmare. They hadn't truthfully been through all of the hell they'd been through for something like this to happen, right? It was just absurd, really. But as she hovered there, no Link in sight, she knew that it _had_ actually happened, and she could no longer restrain the tears.

She flew over to the stone walkway that Link had been trying so desperately to get to – he had actually made it quite close – and let her small frame tumble to the ground. She covered her face with her hands as she bawled uncontrollably, muttering profanities and curses all the while.

"How could you," _sniff_, "be so stupid! For you to," _sniff_, "die on me now! And like this?"

She threw her tiny fist against the hard floor in sheer, uninhibited grief. All was lost; what was she to do with herself now? Sure, she could try to go on and find the mirror on her own, but she knew she couldn't take on the one that had usurped the throne in her kingdom by herself. She wept as she scolded herself out loud for letting him get swallowed by the quicksand; she should've warned him sooner, she should've been strong enough to pull him out.

Of all the reasons to die, of all the reasons for both the worlds of light and shadow to be brought to an end – what kind of story would they tell about the hero now? She could just hear it, 'the Goddesses chosen hero, after felling many great foes and surviving tasks immeasurable, met his end by a pit of quicksand.'

She scoffed; she didn't want Link to be thought of so frivolously. She knew he had overcome amazing hardships and such indescribable feats of courage that he deserved better than to go down in history that way. Then, however, she realized that she had been the only witness, and didn't have to tell a soul about the true way he passed on. Although, another thought came to her, with Link gone and Zant free to take over, would there even be any people left to tell?

She wailed in despair as her mind jumped to numerous different conclusions, not one of them happy. She opened her eyes for just a brief moment as she wiped her nose with the back of her hand and something peculiar caught her attention. She turned towards the pit of sand and squinted, unsure of what she was witnessing. Link's fingers had broken the surface and were stretching upwards. She rubbed her eyes, not believing the sight before her. She flew closer to find that her eyes hadn't played tricks on her – Link was still alive.

She could hardly contain her emotions as tears slid down her cheeks ceaselessly, but she did her best to focus and help him in whatever way she could. She could tell, after coming closer, that he was very weak. His fingers did, indeed, stretch outwards in search of something to grab, but when she placed her hand in his, she noticed that he could hardly maintain the grip as his fingers continuously slipped right through her's. She discerned as she tugged on his hand that it was simply futile; he didn't even budge. When she didn't touch him, however, she saw that he very slowly began to resurface.

The imp took in a deep breath as she realized what she had to do and how hard it would be. All she could do was sit, watch, and wait for the hero's limp body to rise to the surface. After all, she had said it herself: the only way to free one's self from quicksand is to be completely motionless. She hated that all she could do was look on as he struggled. She felt completely useless; she wanted nothing more than to help him, to drag him to safety – not doing anything at all was just _torture_.

The minutes passed by agonizingly slow, and Link's rise from the ditch was even slower. His head had broken free some time ago, giving her at least the solace in knowing that he was able to breathe in air again, but he was still far too submerged for her to be of any help. His feet and legs rose next as he came up in a laying position. Sand covered him like a blanket, but he was at last free of the vacuum that was the quicksand – so long as he didn't start flailing around again.

Midna hovered over to him frantically, "Link! Can you hear me?"

She looked him over and could see his chest desperately trying to gather oxygen with each ragged rise and fall. She looked at his eyes and could see them moving slightly beneath closed lids – he was hanging on. No matter how many times she thought he had reached the pinnacle of surprising her with his incalculable strength, he did something to break through that barrier yet again. This wasn't the time to think on it though, she told herself as she wrapped her dainty hands around his wrist and began pulling him with all her might towards stable ground.

She chuckled dryly as she was reminded of the last time she had been forced to pull the hero to safety in the Lakebed Temple when he had nearly drowned. This time, however, was much more difficult. In the temple beneath the lake, most of her dragging him had been through the water, making him a little more weightless, whereas here he was just as heavy as ever (probably even more so as he likely sustained a few more pounds just in sand). His weapons alone were hard for her to carry, then counting in his muscle mass and considering the fact that he was currently dead weight as he couldn't move on his own… let's just say it wasn't a quick or easy process.

After what felt like an eternity of struggle, she was finally able to get them both back on the stable ground. Once she was sure he was completely safe, she dropped to the ground in exhaustion. She huffed and puffed, having worn out her small body from the feat. She could hear Link gasping for air, but his lungs made a terrible grating sound with each inhale, as if something was rattling around in his chest.

She sat up and looked at him worriedly, "Link… can you hear me?"

He said nothing.

"Please… Talk to me, do something, anything, just let me know you're okay."

All was silent except the clattering of his lungs.

Midna sighed as she wiped away the remaining wetness from her lashes. She watched him anxiously, wanting to help him so badly but unsure of what to do for him. When his body convulsed suddenly and his chest caved in in an attempt to cough, she got an idea.

She recalled when she had saved him from drowning and how she had been able to get him to breathe again, and she snapped to it immediately. She slid her tiny hands underneath him, pushed against him with all her strength and got him onto his side so she could pat his back. She smacked him harshly, hoping to initiate more coughing so as to dislodge any sand that could be blocking his airways. Luckily, or by the Goddesses, it didn't take long before his body obliged. His entire frame shook as endless granules of sand escaped his throat. When he was finally still, Midna eased him onto his back.

His eyes fluttered open slowly as he tried focusing on his partner who sat beside him. He smiled slightly as his mind began to register that his companion had saved him yet again. Keeping his eyes open was quite the task, and he had been trying to say something for a moment or two now without success.

She noticed him mouthing inaudible words and hushed him, "Don't say anything. Just rest… and this time I mean it - stay still."

He smirked as he mustered a chuckle and soon after lost consciousness. She smiled and sighed in relief; he looked awful, but at least he had been strong enough to survive another day.

* * *

_**Concentration on speed can detract greatly from performance.**_


	29. Worse to Worst

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 6/2/13 – Polished, added narrative, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 29: Worse to Worst

**.:.**

"Do you know how downright crazy you are?"

Link smirked slightly, resisting the urge to cough.

"Seriously, Link. I… I actually thought you were gone…" the level of sadness in her eyes was immeasurable.

He blinked slowly a few times so as to clear his vision as he looked up at his partner. After realizing that she had been crying, he spoke up, "I'm sorry, Midna… I think you were right when you said I was stupid."

She returned his gaze and easily recognized the lightheartedness of his response. She smiled in return, "I think I was, too."

"Hey, now," he chuckled quietly, pretending to be offended.

"No, you're not stupid," she rectified, "You just do some stupid things."

He opened his mouth to reply, but instead found himself unable to win the battle against his nagging cough. Grains of sand flew from his throat as he turned onto his side, the convulsions of his chest unbearable. His esophagus was as dry as the desert they had crossed previously, his every orifice was filled with sand, he was dehydrated, and he was damn well past wanting to get out of this place.

When he had finally been able to cease his coughing fit, he returned to his back and closed his eyes with a wince. It was slight and hard to notice – he hid most things well – but Midna could pinpoint it easily; she had known since back in Gerudo Desert that he was not faring well, and he was most certainly nearing his limit soon.

"Are you okay?" she questioned even though she knew he wasn't; she just wanted to hear his answer.

He nodded.

All fell silent for quite some time as the hero remained lying on the ground where she had pulled him to safety earlier. She looked him over, noticing that he looked awful. There was something that had been on her mind since his near-death experience, and she decided now was as good a time as any to relay it.

"How did you get out of that quicksand?"

He opened his eyes a slit and met his companion's stare. After a moment, he looked away, thinking hard on his response.

"I'm not sure," he admitted, returning his gaze to her's, "I was praying the whole time, though… you know, for Farore to help me. Do you think…?"

Midna looked at him bewildered. She knew that Link and the other light dwellers believed wholeheartedly in praying to the three golden Goddesses, but she simply couldn't find herself able to find comfort in prayer. The Goddesses were the ones that banished her people to the Twilight Realm; how could she ask them for help? Surely they would never listen to her.

But, she thought, maybe they held their hero to a higher regard; maybe they listened to him more. The more she thought on that, though, she realized that was a preposterous idea – they made Link go through far too many hardships and let him nearly die far too many times for them to honestly answer his prayers. No, it wasn't the Goddesses that helped him – he did it on his own.

"I doubt it," she finally broke the silence, "They haven't helped us once this whole time. I'm sure you floated to the top because you weren't moving."

"Hm," he mumbled as he let his muscles relax and he looked up at the ceiling, thinking on her reply.

"What? You don't really think they'd help you _now_, do you? After everything they've put you through? And we're not even done yet."

He had never questioned their intentions, nor had he questioned their involvement during this whole ordeal, he was simply raised to have faith in them no matter what. Now, though, he began to think differently. Midna's words _did_ make sense; they hadn't intervened on the other numerous occasions in which he had nearly died, why would they this time?

He sighed, "I guess you're right."

She noticed the disappointment on his face; she hadn't meant to bring him down with what she said. She decided to change the subject.

"You don't look so good. We'll wait awhile before we go on so you can rest a bit."

He shook his head, "No… just a minute or two. We've been in this place way too long and honestly, I don't know how much longer I can last. We need to hurry up and get out of here."

Her gaze fell to his middle as he spoke. The dressings around his arrow wounds had undoubtedly soaked through as his tunic was stained crimson. It was wet and sticky to the touch as she examined it, meaning that he had been continuously losing blood with every passing hour. She could tell that he was right; if he kept losing more and more blood like this, he certainly wouldn't last long.

"You've bled through the bandages," she stated as calmly as she could.

He picked his head up off the ground just high enough to see for himself what she had referred to. He moaned upon sight of himself and let his head fall back to the floor. He inhaled once very slowly, held it, and exhaled even slower. He had realized how much the pain intensified and he had noticed the wetness on his torso, but he had yet to actually look down at himself and witness the damage with his own eyes.

He knew they couldn't even waste one more minute, let alone two – they needed to get out of here before he passed out from blood loss.

"Let's go," he said as he picked up his upper half rather sluggishly.

She shook her head, "No, come on, at least give yourself a minute."

"No," he responded bluntly, as he struggled to his feet, "We can't waste any more time lying around."

He grimaced upon standing but proceeded to make sure all of his belongings were in place. Midna looked at him nervously as she found herself fretting over his wellbeing more and more. When he noticed that his spinner was missing and spotted it halfway across the lake of quicksand, he groaned in sheer frustration.

"What is it?" Midna questioned before following his gaze.

"The spinner is still out there. Could you…?"

She smirked playfully, "Oh, I guess."

She hovered over to it, found it to be a bit heavier than she expected as she lifted it into her hands – but not too much so – and brought it back. The hero took it with a smile and a 'thank you' before pressing forward.

He proceeded onto the spinner railings with much more care and better planned timing than he had previously, not exactly wanting to experience drowning in the sand all over again.

The current chamber proved to be much larger than it had seemed at first; it was massive. Quicksand filled it corner to corner, with sparse sections of stable ground scattered about unsystematically. It took several hours to make it through the gigantic corridor, but when they finally did, only a few more areas of exploring stood between them and the exit.

Link could feel an evil presence growing more and more apparent the farther they went. It had grown into something of a sixth sense that he had acquired over the course of his time being the chosen hero, or perhaps it was simply that he carried the blade of evil's bane which, in itself, could sense malicious entities. When he found himself before a grand and elaborate door, he could only guess what lie in wait behind it.

Beyond the door, fog covered the air like a thick blanket, hindering sight considerably. The distinct smell of dirt and bones was prominent in this chamber the closer he stepped to the center. As the smog lifted just slightly, a giant fossilized skull could be seen in the middle of yet another pit of sand. It was seemingly ancient as it appeared to have been untouched for some decades, maybe centuries. He stared at it strangely, examining it in the bizarre quietness of the arena-like chamber.

He knew something was going to happen; he could feel someone, or _something_, watching him, he just didn't know what.

With a spark that made his heart flutter, Zant suddenly appeared before him. The hero immediately withdrew his blade, ready to strike whenever necessary. The usurper simply stood for what felt like hours, doing nothing more than staring him down. He didn't know how he could see through his oversized mask, but he just _knew_ he was glaring at him – he could _feel_ his eyes burning into his flesh.

A quiet and peculiar chuckle broke the silence, "You still live… How astonishing. No wonder some call you '_hero_.' But this is truly a bittersweet reunion. Truly!"

He laughed again, a thick, maniacal tone to it.

"For I fear this is the last time I will see you alive!"

The corners of Link's mouth curled up into a smirk; he was _so_ ready to fight this pest to the death and bring him to justice. Now they wouldn't even have to go to the Mirror of Twilight – the person they were searching for came to them of his own accord. Finally, they would be done chasing him.

When his enemy raised his arm and conjured up a sword only to thrust it into the cranium of the skeleton and vanish before his eyes, he could only snarl his lip in irritation; Zant had managed to slip between his fingers once again like the coward he was.

"Let's go find the mir-," Midna's voice started from the shadows until they both noticed something abnormal happening to the fossil, and she stopped before she could finish her statement.

They watched in bafflement as the deep, round eye sockets of the skull lit up a bright red color. The ground began to shake as it picked itself up and thrashed about upon awakening. It had two arms, a wide, dirt covered ribcage, and a tall spine with all else lower than that seemingly buried beneath the sand – or missing completely.

Link raised his shield as the beast roared loudly in his direction, grains of sand whirling around and making their way into his eyes and mouth, causing him to close his eyes and cover his face with his guard. When the massive skeleton quieted down, the hero glanced around the room as he planned his attack.

Arrows and the like were completely useless – they would simply reverberate off the monster's solid bones and fall to the ground below. He couldn't get close enough to assault it with his blade, either, as it stationed itself in the very middle of the vast pool of quicksand. He ducked as the beast took a swing at him, noticing his inactivity, and he started running when he spotted a very familiar spinner track to his side.

As he pumped his legs, he reached into his pouch and retrieved the circular contraption, dropped it to the floor, and hopped on just in time for it to latch into the groove on the wall.

He travelled around the length of the wall, making two complete circles with the senseless creature aimlessly swiping at him all the while. It had nearly knocked him off at one point, but he had been quick enough to spot it and react. It began to grow frustrated as it spewed purple bile from its gaping maw. A few droplets made contact with the hero's skin, a slight burn nagging at him like a pesky fly, but nothing more.

At a loss of how to take down the giant skeleton, he decided to act on impulse and do something Midna might call him stupid for later. He kicked off the wall with his foot, sending him and the spinner rapidly towards the center of the pit and towards his enemy. He steered his ride at the beast's vulnerable spine, and as the metal object made contact and bounced back to the wall, he could hear the very distinct sound of cracking bones.

When he was safely riding the railing once again, he looked back to see the creature's vertebrae fracturing to the point of breaking. A second later, it just did that – its spine shattered. It wailed something awful as its bones gave out and it collapsed to the floor motionless.

He could only stand and watch confusedly as the sand lowered beneath his feet until his boots were greeted with solid ground. An ornate tiled floor was revealed as the sand diminished completely. Link never took his eyes off the immobile skeleton – which was now just a skull – in fear that it would spring back to life when he wasn't looking. He walked around it, spotting no sign of life.

As he stood on the center of the hard floor, that section began to rise up. He stumbled, a bit taken by surprise as the small portion of the flooring lifted up and created something of a large pillar or column in the middle of the room.

He approached the edge with caution, noting that it had risen a great distance as it was quite a drop to the bottom now. As he was peering down the circular channel, he noticed that there were numerous spinner rails on both sides. He furrowed his brow in confusion at their bizarre placement.

He then looked across the gap and spotted a door on the opposite side and realized that he would most likely have to ride those railings in order to get to it. When Midna suddenly called his name from the shadows, however, he realized he had other things to worry about.

He whirled around and was greeted by none other than the enchanted skull he had been so wary about moments ago. It was enormous, and it was floating with nothing attached to it whatsoever. He brandished his sword at the beast, ready to strike. However, it ended up doing something he did not expect – although he probably should have.

The strange creature hurled itself forward and collided into the hero, sending him soaring off the side of the column and falling a great distance to the bottom. The wind rushed past his ears as he closed his eyes and prepared himself for the impact.

An involuntary grunt escaped his lips as his back smacked against the hard ground and a puff of air shot out of his lungs. His legs hit the floor a split second later, causing his entire body to jerk. It felt like slow motion, but it all happened so quickly. He did his best to stay calm as the wind was knocked out of his chest and it became impossible to breathe for a solid minute that felt like at least twenty. The arrow wounds through his middle pounded with the rapid beat of his heart as a searing pain ripped throughout the open flesh when he hit the ground.

When he heard the beast rounding the corner to face him, he mustered the strength from somewhere unknown and got to his feet. He breathed as his world spun momentarily before he finally found his balance again. Running was unbearable as he sprinted to the wide pillar that he had just fallen from the top off. He let the spinner fall to the ground and he hopped onto it in a single motion.

He made three complete laps, now halfway up the wall, before the creature revealed itself in front of him. It faced him and hovered backwards, keeping time with the hero's spinner. He grew dizzy with the constant circular motion, but did his best to ignore the rising sickness.

Link watched as it prepared a fire ball in its empty jaw and waited for the right timing. Just as it spewed the flame, he kicked off the wall and onto the opposite railing. The landing was rough, but the spinner connected. It shot another one, and another one, and another one, before it finally came up with a new idea. It floated in between the two walls, blocking the young man's path with his spinner. He wasn't sure what to do; he knew his sword and his other weapons were useless against it.

When it began getting ready to assault the hero with another ball of fire, he did the only thing he could think of, and prayed to the Goddesses that it would work. He pressed his foot against the wall and kicked off with all his might. The spinner flew off the pillar and collided punitively with the ominous skull, sending it to the ground stunned.

He fell painfully to the stone floor directly after it. He winced upon impact but wasted not a single moment as he rushed to his feet, unsheathed his blade, and hastened to the paralyzed creature. He hacked away at its forehead; a spot he had hoped would be weak as he remembered that had been where Zant reanimated it – he was right. The beast hardly lasted a few swings as it flew up towards the ceiling in apparent agony. When it reached the top, it lost the strength to keep itself up, and it fell right back to the ground where it finally perished.

He sighed in relief as he returned the Master Sword to its scabbard. He went over to where the spinner had landed during the fight and retrieved it, using it to scale the wall and reach the exit. When he made it to the top and pocketed his spinner, Midna revealed herself.

"We're almost there now, Link."

He nodded.

"Are you gonna be okay? I mean, we're going to face Zant now, you know… Shouldn't we go fix you up or something?"

He shook his head, "I'm fine for a little bit longer. How much of a threat could he be?" he smirked.

Midna folded her arms over her chest, "Fine, but as soon as we're done with him you're going to see that old shaman and I'm going to see to it that you don't get out of bed for at least a week."

"A week? How about a day?" he bargained with a smile.

"No way! One week!"

"Two days?"

"One week!"

"Alright… four days."

"Okay, now it's two weeks!"

He grasped his sides as he laughed, "Alright, alright, you win. One week."

She shook her head, "Nope. It's two weeks now because you argued with me."

"What!" his jaw dropped in mock surprise.

"Yep. That's what you get."

He couldn't help but smile, "Okay, two weeks it is."

She smiled in return, and it was silent for some time after that as they both looked towards the door but neither of them went for it.

"Well," he spoke up, deciding to add to his last remark, "As long as you're sitting right next to me for those two weeks making me laugh like this… I'll be fine with it."

She was silent.

He looked over at her, "You will be, won't you?"

She avoided his gaze for a moment, thinking over something unknown to him as she thought of her response, "Y-Yeah… Yeah, I will."

He furrowed his brow as he noticed the strange expression on her face, her eyes still evading his. When she said nothing more, he nodded his head and replied, "Good. Ready to go then?"

She nodded briefly before quickly fleeing into his shadow. He was confused, but it was a feeling he had grown accustomed to ever since the first day he woke up to find himself in the body of a wolf.

Once through the doorway, he travelled up a few flights of dilapidated stairs and rounded a narrow corridor before finding himself beneath the night sky. He took a moment to enjoy the fresh air and the cool breeze – they had been inside that accursed prison for far too long. The moon and the stars were bright and not a cloud filled the sky. There was a slight wind that chilled the sweat on his body, but it also cooled the damp middle of his tunic, making him instantly very cold. He shivered as the wind picked up and he did his best to ignore the discomfort for now.

In the center of the coliseum-like structure stood a statue of what appeared to be a Goddess or some other deity. Link didn't know which divinity this was supposed to represent; he was never instructed on what the people of the sand, the Gerudo, believed - most likely because his mother probably did not know either.

As he approached the sculpture, he was assailed by a large group of shadow beasts, and he dispatched of them with ease. He noticed that the Master Sword dealt with them much more swiftly than his previous blade. As he exterminated them, however, he couldn't help but be reminded of what Midna had told him at the start of their trek across the desert about her people being mercilessly turned into beasts by Zant. Did that mean he had been killing her friends or family this whole time? It made him sick to think about.

When the monsters were done in, he noticed a distinct groove travelling up the length of the stone statue. Producing the spinner and riding it to the top, he found that it settled into a carved in design on the floor. He kicked off multiple times, making it spin around and around as fast as he could. He hadn't expected what that mechanism triggered, though.

The statue that he stood on top of began lowering into the sand as the massive, outlying pillars surrounding the grounds began to rise up. As they reached towards the sky, he noticed that the chains they were attached to were also connected to something beneath the sand. He watched in wonderment as a large, stone block covered in metal chains now stood tall before him. When the ground stopped shaking and all was silent, he turned around to face a small platform that he hadn't realized had also ascended from the sand. He walked around it, not quite sure what he was looking at – wasn't the mirror supposed to be here somewhere?

He looked to his side as his companion popped out of his shadow and flew over to the strange object atop the smaller platform. All he could see was the back of her head, but he could tell that she was in utter shock. Her one, visible eye grew as wide as a saucer, not believing what she was seeing. She snarled her lip and when she found herself no longer able to contain her anger, she let out an uninhibited scream of pure rage.

When she fell to her knees before him, it clicked in his mind what this was – it was the Mirror of Twilight. It was completely broken with only a single piece left in the plinth, that being the reason he wasn't able to comprehend what exactly it was at first glance.

He closed his eyes and turned away as she crumpled before the destroyed mirror; everything they had done up to this point was now for nothing. He had gathered all the pieces of the Fused Shadow, only for them to be taken by Zant. He had trudged through the endless desert, only to find that the mirror was broken. The Mirror of Twilight had been their last hope, their last potential link to Zant, and now even that was as nothing. What option did they have at this point?

He wanted to talk to her, comfort her, but there was nothing he could say. He knew there were no words, no actions that would make her feel better. The only thing he could think of that would cheer her up was if there was another way into the Twilight Realm, or a way to fix the mirror; he was sure both options were more than likely unrealistic.

"Midna-," he broke the silence, but her voice cut in like a knife.

"What," she demanded. It was flat, monotone, and void of hope.

"I'm sorry…"

"Pff," she scoffed, "What's that going to do for me?"

He was taken aback, "I, um…Nothing, I guess."

She sighed, immediately feeling bad for having taken such a tone with him, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to take out my anger on you. It's just-"

She stopped midsentence when she noticed Link staring at something above and behind her. She followed his line of sight and saw five mysterious figures standing high atop the pillars around the grounds. They both looked on in awe, neither one sure of what they were witnessing.

They listened intently, not making a sound, as the beings began speaking.

"A dark entity lurks in the twilight… It houses an evil power."

"You who are guided by fate… You who possess the crest of the Goddesses… Hear us."

"At the command of the Goddesses, we sages have guarded the Mirror of Twilight since ancient times."

"You seek it… but the Mirror of Twilight has been fragmented by mighty magic."

"That magic is a dark power that only he possesses…"

"His name is…"

The sage paused, as if preparing to say something painful.

"…Ganondorf."

Ganondorf… Ganondorf… No, it wasn't possible. Ganondorf was dead, wasn't he? Link's heart practically stopped in his chest at the mere mention of that name. His mother had told him countless stories of the ancient evil known as Ganondorf. He was the king of thieves from the Gerudo Desert. He was known for his evil magic and his coldblooded nature, taking what he wanted for himself without a second thought for those he hurt along the way.

When Link was little, he never liked hearing stories about Ganondorf – they always scared him. He loved hearing about the hero that defeated him, but knowing that such a great evil existed terrified him. His mother told him all about the hero of old that brought down the dark king, and about how it was a long, grueling battle.

The evil thief had been seemingly unstoppable, his power unfathomable. The hero and the princess had been successful in sealing away the Gerudo king in the Sacred Realm, but it didn't last long enough. He had been able to escape, at which point he and his band of thieves invaded Hyrule. Eventually, however, he was subdued and brought to justice, at which point he was taken in for execution.

That was all that was explained to him by his mother, but the sages fleshed it out. They explained that Ganondorf was, indeed, extremely powerful, but he had been so much so that he was blind to any kind of threat. That was why he had invaded Hyrule – he had seen no danger opposing him – and his moment of arrogance had done him in. When he was taken to the Arbiter's Grounds for execution, they had bound him by chains as they prepared to end him. One of the sages impaled him with their mystical blade, leaving him scarred, but he was simply too strong. He ignored the assault and managed to break free of his shackles before killing one of the sages.

Needless to say, the execution had failed, and as a last resort, they had banished him into the Twilight Realm.

They went on to suggest that Ganon's power could have been passed on to Zant. Link was too stunned to even utter a single word. He vaguely heard Midna mention that it was much too late now anyway, and she was probably right. He could hardly believe what he was hearing. Did all of this mean that it would end up being up to him to ultimately defeat Ganondorf? He didn't know if he could do it.

"Only the true leader of the Twili can utterly destroy the Mirror of Twilight… so Zant could merely break it into pieces. Once broken by magic, the Mirror of Twilight became fragments, which even now lie hidden across the land of Hyrule."

Midna looked up at the sages as they spoke, the smallest glimmer of hope in her eyes – maybe it was still possible to rebuild the mirror.

"One is in the snowy mountain heights…"

"One is in an ancient grove…"

"And one is in the heavens…"

Link stared them down and mentally noted the places they had mentioned. Although ambiguous as they were, he was sure they could find them somehow; he just wasn't sure exactly _how_ yet. He felt Midna's dainty hands on his shoulder and her warm presence at his side as they both listened intently.

"You who have been sent by the Goddesses… You should be able to gather the three pieces."

"But you must be prepared, for a dangerous power resides in those fragments…"

With those last words, the sages were gone. The duo simply stood for a few minutes, both still shocked from everything they had just heard. Midna hovered away just a bit, only far enough so that she could look at her partner's face in order to see how he was taking it. His gaze was locked straight ahead, still looking in the same direction as if the sages were still there.

"Link," her small voice chimed.

He blinked a few times, the sound drawing him from his stupor before turning to look at her.

"Are you okay?" she asked sincerely, looking directly into his eyes.

He nodded much too quickly to mean it, "Yeah, I'm alright."

She stared him down, "Really, Link. I know that was kind of a lot to take in. With learning that you'll have to eventually face Ganon and all that…"

He nodded again, but said nothing.

"Are you scared?"

He glanced down at his boots and then back up at her, "No. Well, yes, but… No, I'm alright."

"It's okay to be, you know."

He sighed, "I guess."

She could tell he didn't want to talk about it, "Well… there's gonna be no facing Zant today after all, so let's go get you fixed up."

He looked down at himself with an exhale, "Yes… let's."

* * *

_**Just when you think it's as bad as it gets.**_

* * *

**A/N: **To clarify something that is first making its appearance in this chapter… I know that the official Zelda timeline states that Twilight Princess is on the child timeline branch, meaning that Ganondorf was _not_ defeated by the hero and sealed in the Sacred Realm, but, instead, he was stopped and brought to justice when the Hero of Time was sent back, before Ganon could take over Hyrule and all that. However, TP Link's relationship with OoT Link is going to make itself known very soon, making it important that OoT Link actually _did_ go through all the hardships of being hero and with defeating Ganon. Also, the game does so much comparing of the two heroes that I find it silly to say that the Hero of Time was actually only known for telling the royal family of Ganon's intentions as opposed to all of the heroism he _really_ did. This Link needs to have a hero that he knows went through what he's going through so that the two can make a connection, and if this is your first time reading this story, you'll find out very soon that OoT Link will start making his presence known more and more to TP Link. It'll all make sense soon, promise :)


	30. Raw

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 7/15/13 – Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 30: Raw

**.:.**

There was a slight chill to the breeze that swept through the dark sky that at any other time he would have enjoyed. This time, however, he was not finding it comforting in the slightest.

His tunic was soaked, making the wind _that_ much colder to his damp skin. Midna had warped him just outside Kakariko Village, in the same place as usual, so as to keep anyone from seeing him as a wolf - even though it was well into the night and everyone was most likely deep in sleep, he didn't want to take that chance.

He stumbled through the grassy field, various mindless creatures taking swings at him all the while. Even in his drowsy, subconscious state he was able to dispatch of them with barely a thought – he was so used to the motions of battle by now (the simple ones, at least) that he probably hadn't even realized that he was fighting.

He was beyond exhausted; he could hardly pick up his feet in order to walk. He couldn't remember when last it was that he had proper rest. He assumed it was back when he first received the wounds currently plaguing his torso that he had slept at all. He was starving as well; the last thing he had eaten were the repulsive sand worms from the desert. His throat scratched incessantly, grains of sand having still been lodged in his esophagus coupling with massive dehydration. The only thing that kept his legs moving was the idea of a nice, warm bed and a decent meal once he reached his destination.

As he got closer and the grassy terrain of the field slowly turned into the familiar reddish colored dirt of the village, he could barely keep his eyes open. His feet shuffled as he staggered in the direction of the sanctuary, the place he knew all of his friends slept at night. Halfway past the spirit's spring, his legs buckled beneath his weight and he fell to one knee, using his opposite hand to brace himself. He ran his free hand over his face, sighing as ignoring the pain was starting to become impossible.

"Link, are you okay?" his shadow's voice could be heard faintly.

He nodded.

"You're almost there... You can do it. Get up."

He exhaled again, this time shaking his head negative.

"I've never known you to stay down when you fall. Come on, I know you can."

"No," he responded bluntly and much more loudly than he intended, "I… I'm too…" _cough_, "I just can't, Midna."

He couldn't see her as she remained hidden should anyone be watching, but he just _knew_ she would be rolling her eyes if he could see her face.

"So then what are you going to do?" she spat, "Just lay here and bleed out and pray to your stupid Goddesses that someone will come outside and save you?"

He closed his eyes, "It's almost daybreak… Someone will wake up soon."

"Look at the moon, Link! It's at the highest point in the sky! It's probably around midnight. No one's waking up or coming out for a while."

He looked up at the sky and then back down at his hand pressed against the dirt; she was right. "I don't know then."

"Come on, it's only a little bit further to the door. Just make it that far and knock, then I'm sure someone will hear it and come out. I know you can do that."

He glanced straight ahead, his vision growing hazy. It looked so far away; he didn't know if he had the strength to get back up. Doing his best to continue doing what he had been working on perfecting over the span of the last few months, he shakily got to his feet and pushed aside the pain and dizziness as best he could. Midna watched anxiously from his shadow, hoping he could last just a few more feet to the sanctuary.

Eyes on his target, he kept his head up and concentrated on picking up his feet. The left slid across the ground, stirring dirt into the air as it went, and moved him a bit closer. The right, however, was not as successful. When he shifted his weight from his left foot to his right, he once again found himself crumpling to his knee. In the same fashion as before, he rested his open palm on the soft earth in order to hold himself up. He sighed in frustration at his failure.

"Try again," he heard the imp chime encouragingly, not condescendingly.

He closed his eyes, taking in a breath as he mustered the strength to attempt the seemingly impossible feat once again. It was futile, however, as he now found that he was unable to even stand. The moment he pushed off the ground by the balls of his feet, he was right back on the dirt.

"Link, come on, you're so close! You can't give up now."

"Well I am!" he shouted aggravatingly, his outburst causing him to cough violently. When he regained control of his voice, he continued in a quieter tone, "I give up, Midna…"

She no longer cared about being seen as she revealed herself directly in front of his eyes, "You can't! Look how close you are," she gestured, "Look!"

He lifted his gaze from the floor to where she motioned to; it seemed much farther away than she was insinuating. The simple task of keeping his head raised in order to look forward had even become draining.

She looked into his weary eyes, "Come on… just one more try, okay?"

He met her stern stare with his own hopeless one. Her eyes didn't falter in the slightest; she was dead serious. He sighed and nodded in confirmation – he never had been one to give up so easily.

Knowing that standing was out of the question, he started crawling towards the unlit sanctuary. After making it only a few paces, he couldn't go on and had to stop. He hung his head and wrapped his left arm around his lower abdomen. He shut his eyes tight as he winced at the pain, and when he opened them, he saw droplets of blood falling from his mouth and dripping on the loose soil beneath him.

He yelled at himself inwardly; they had taken much too long to get him back here - he couldn't keep doing this to himself. It might not have ever gotten to this point if he had taken better care of his injuries when they were first inflicted – they very well could be infected and that could be the source of the extra pain. He digressed, there was nothing he could have done about it, though, as much as he yelled at himself for it, and there was nothing he could do about it now.

"A little bit farther, Link. You can do it."

He summoned the last of his strength to lift his head and start moving again. With his sword arm still hugging his torso, he moved forward little by little. Right hand… left leg… right leg… right hand… left leg… right leg.

When it came time for the next movement, his body completely shut down. With his right arm extended, midway through the motion, he collapsed to his stomach on the soft terrain. Dirt flew up all around him upon impact and slowly settled back down to the earth.

Midna hovered over to him as quickly as her little body could take her, "Link!"

Upon hearing her voice he opened his eyes just slightly, "S-Sorry… Just gonna… take a nap here…" He was obviously delirious and his eyelids began drooping.

The worry on her face tripled, "No, Link, please… No nap, okay? Stay awake for me. Link, look at me."

He struggled to keep his eyes open and meet her's; he could barely focus.

"Just stay awake a little bit longer. I'll… I'll do something – I'll wake them up somehow, just… just keep your eyes open for me, okay?" she stammered, looking around as she tried to figure out how she was going to get the attention of the shaman without revealing herself.

He nodded slightly, his cheek rubbing against the dirt. He barely understood her words, let alone what she had meant by them. His eyelids felt as if they were both attached to anchors, constantly weighing them down and making the task of keeping them open nearly impossible. He held them open as best he could, though, as he watched her hovering about frantically.

She didn't want to get close to the window in case someone was looking out it and would spot her, and she didn't want to get close to the door in case someone came to open it in a flash and she wouldn't be able to hide in time – she knew she needed to make a noise from a distance. Near the shore of the spirit's spring she spotted a pebble. She picked it up, crouched close to the hero should someone rush to the window so she would be hidden, and threw it with all her might at the small dwelling.

Inside the sanctuary, Beth's eyes shot open. Being directly underneath the window, she heard the noise the loudest. She scanned the room, glancing between the sleeping faces of her friends in hopes that the strange sound would have woken up more than just her. When she realized that she was the only one awake, her curiosity started getting the best of her. She stood up sluggishly from her blanket on the floor and placed her dainty fingers on the edge of the windowsill. Moving very slowly in fear that a monster might be outside and that it might see her, she peeked out of the window just ever so slightly, only her eyes visible through the glass.

With the limited amount of vision that her current position provided, she couldn't see much of anything. She stood just a little more, her nose now resting on the ledge as she peered out. She looked in each direction, seeing no sign of life to her left, the direction of the inn. As she turned and looked as far right as she could see, however, she spotted something that startled her. She quickly ducked back down, fearing that she had just seen one of those terrifying shadow beasts from before.

Afraid and not wanting to be alone, she crawled over to the nearest person to her.

"Talo… Talo!" she whispered, shaking the young boy's shoulders.

"Wha…"

"Wake up! There's something outside!"

His eyes remained closed as he moaned at her.

She kept shaking him but kept her voice quiet, "I mean it! There's something out there!"

"It's probably nothing, as usual," he grumbled.

"Come on, Talo! Just come look! Please!"

"Ugh," he groaned, turning over to face her, "Do I have to?"

"Yes!"

He whined and complained as he sat up, "It's probably just some stupid squirrel like last time."

"Hey! That was not an ordinary squirrel last time. It was huge!"

"Oh no!" he began mocking her, "It's a killer squirrel! Run for your lives!"

She smacked his shoulder, "Shut up and come look out the window with me! So immature…"

He rubbed the sore spot she had created on his arm as he crawled over to the window with her. Talo, thinking it was nothing, stood up quickly and glimpsed outside without even trying to be discreet.

"Get down! It'll see you!"

"Don't be stupid, Beth. I don't even see anyth- WHOA!"

"Get down!"

She yanked on the boy's shirt and he tumbled down beside her.

"What was that!" he stammered, still keeping his voice lowered.

"I think it's a monster…" she whispered as she thought back to what she remembered seeing.

"MONSTER!" he suddenly screamed, waking up everyone else in the process.

"Talo, you idiot!" Beth scolded.

"What? Everyone needs to be awake since we're gonna get EATEN BY A MONSTER!"

"A m-monster?" Colin stuttered fearfully as he sat up from where he had been sleeping.

Renado shot up from his makeshift bed, immediately on alert, "Get away from the window, children."

Beth and Talo did just that, running towards the back of the sanctuary where Luda and Colin lay.

"Are you sure it's a monster? Both of you yell 'monster' at the stupidest of creatures," Malo chimed in.

"Shut up, Malo! It _is_ a monster!" Beth yelled.

"Yeah! And I don't yell 'monster' unless it's something _really_ scary!" Talo added.

Malo crossed his arms over his chest, "Oh really? What about that cucco the other day?"

Talo glanced around at everyone's faces, hoping no one had heard his younger brother's words, "Y-Yeah right! Pf! Hah! Th-that didn't happen," he stammered aloud before getting in closer to Malo and murmuring, "You promised you wouldn't say anything about that!"

Ignoring the children's silly argument, the shaman rushed to the window and peered outside to see what all the fuss was about. Some of their argument was valid, however, as the older man had grown quite accustomed to false alarms in the quiet village. Talo and Beth often cried wolf, but he did not reprimand them, for he knew that they were simply trying to help and being overly cautious.

The events of being kidnapped no doubt had taken a toll on their subconscious. They were often too afraid to go to sleep at night, they saw danger at nearly every turn, and they always wanted to make sure they were not alone. Renado often had to coax the children into falling asleep at bedtime, most times by telling them a boring story. Simple tasks like gathering water from the spring or travelling across the village for supplies terrified them, especially Beth – she was so afraid that more foul creatures would come stampeding in and threaten her life again – they always went everywhere in pairs, or even groups.

As Renado looked outside the small window, at first, he saw nothing. When he turned and peered as far to the right as the opening would allow him, however, he saw something he wasn't quite sure about. In the darkness of nightfall, he realized how the children could mistake the form for a monster, but he knew it was no such thing.

"What's out there, father?" the small voice of Luda asked as she approached him.

He looked down at her, "I'm not quite sure, my dear."

"It's a monster, isn't it!" Talo shouted.

"No, it's nothing that is going to hurt us."

"Then what is it?" Beth questioned.

The older man thought for a moment before answering, "I'll go see what it is. All of you stay inside and do not come out. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mister Renado," a few of them obliged while the rest seemed disappointed.

As soon as the shaman exited the sanctuary and closed the door behind him, all of the children rushed to the window.

Renado approached the figure slowly; it was but a mere few feet away from the door. Being able to see without the obstruction of the window, it was clear to him immediately that this motionless form was Link.

His right arm was stretched towards the sanctuary and his left was coiled around his waist. His right leg lay straight out behind him while his left was bent in the knee, as if halfway through the motion of moving it. The wise man could tell he had been crawling simply by his position on the dirt.

His eyes were closed tightly, a grimace plastered on his face. When the shaman knelt down to get a closer look, the slight scent of blood pricked at his nostrils. He instantly spotted two large, round holes on the back of the young man's tunic, but there was so much blood on top of it that he couldn't tell what type of wounds he was harboring. He noticed that he was clinging painfully to his front, indicating that he was hurt there as well. He lifted the hero up just slightly by his shoulder in order to see the damage to his middle. What he saw beneath his stationary body was a small pool of blood.

"Oh Goddesses, Link… What have you done to yourself…" he mumbled quietly as he went over what he was going to do in his mind.

The children watched eagerly from the window, muttering to themselves all the while about what the mysterious figure could be.

"Ew, why is Mister Renado touching it?" Beth asked.

"Maybe we're going to have it for breakfast!" Talo answered.

"Yeah, right. It looks much too small to feed an appetite like yours," Malo added.

"Hey!"

"I think it's a person," Luda stated, instantly shutting everyone up as they thought on that possibility.

"Oh no, I think you're right. But they aren't moving…" Beth said sadly.

Colin suddenly got a hunch of who it might be, the more he looked at the figure, and tried to ask his friends what they thought, "Guys…" but he was ignored.

"Are they DEAD?" Talo shouted rather loudly.

"They might be…" Luda answered.

"Hey, guys…?" Colin tried again.

Malo scoffed, "They deserve it if they're stupid enough to make it so close to the sanctuary and die right there."

"Malo! That's a horrible thing to say!" Beth scolded.

"Guys!" Colin shouted, finally getting their attention as they all quieted down and listened, "I think that's Link."

No one said a thing as they all faced the window and stared at the form on the ground. Colin didn't waste another minute as he turned and headed for the door.

"Colin! Mister Renado said not to go outside!" Beth yelled.

He ignored her, stepped outside, and closed the door behind him before running up to and standing above the body on the dirt.

The shaman didn't even look at him, "I told all of you to stay inside."

"I'm sorry, Mister Renado… I needed to see if it was him."

"It is," he replied as he slowly and gently turned the hero onto his back.

"Is he going to be okay?"

Renado unfastened the belt across Link's chest that held his sword and shield before slipping his arms underneath the young man's motionless body and lifting him up, "If we act quickly."

Colin watched anxiously before being given some orders, "Colin, gather the other children and bring them to the inn. We will all sleep there tonight."

The small boy nodded and ran into the sanctuary. He relayed to them the older man's words and they all followed him hastily to the rundown hotel, most of them having to work together to bring the Master Sword and Hylian Shield inside with them as they were both quite heavy for their small arms.

One of the Gorons sat at the base of the stairs inside the Elde Inn, seemingly having trouble staying awake. He was there for the single purpose of making sure no harm came to Ilia. While Renado and all the other children preferred sleeping in the sanctuary as they felt it was a more secure dwelling should the village be attacked, Ilia had stated from the beginning that she did not feel comfortable sleeping so close to '_complete strangers_,' and for that reason she had insisted on staying in the inn. The shaman, of course, obliged, but saw to it that she was not left unprotected.

Prince Ralis, the young Zora that Link had escorted to the village some months ago, stayed in one of the rooms from time to time as well. Most times he remained in the graveyard – he sometimes slept there as well – but when he felt like having living company, he returned to the inn.

Renado carried the unconscious hero up the stairs and into the farthest room down the hall, a small mob following behind him all the while. He laid him down gently on the clean cot and rushed to a nearby cupboard to gather supplies he would need. Luda followed at her father's heels, helping him to grab whatever he couldn't fit into his hands. Colin, Beth, and Talo, after dropping the hero's effects by the door, hastened to the right side of the bed in descending order, while Malo sat in a stool beside the door and watched from a distance.

The children were in complete shock, all of them silent. They all stared at the motionless form on the bed, the only sign of life being the steady rising and falling of his chest.

The shaman and his daughter approached the opposite side of the bed, carrying a few tools and some bandaging cloth. Renado placed what he was holding on the bedside table before propping up Link's upper half and removing his tunic, chainmail, and ivory shirt and setting them aside. He then pulled up a chair, took a seat, and got to work.

The gauze that Midna had applied back in the desert was well past soaked through, not an inch of white coloring left on it. The older man dispatched of the soiled cloth and with his entire upper body now revealed, the arrow wounds became easily visible. Just above his right hip bone, sitting in between his abdominal muscles, was the first puncture. Not far from the first, just below the left side of his ribcage, sat the second. However, the latter was much more gruesome looking, its shape disproportionate to the former.

His breathing was even, but it held a raspy sound beneath it, as if pebbles were bouncing around inside his lungs as he drew breath. Various small bruises littered his chest as well as his arms, but none even came close to the severity of his middle. What made the puncture wounds even worse was that they went straight through him to his back – that was the fact that worried the shaman the most. Due to their shape and size, the wise man was able to guess that he had been shot with two arrows, but he had come to realize that he could never be sure of anything with Link.

The main thing that Renado had found both bizarre and disturbing was the fact that he was covered head to toe in sand. When he had been removing his upper clothing, sand had simply poured out from all openings, and with each layer as well. Sand had become his blanket, sticking to his skin where he was sweating or bleeding and matting in his damp hair. It filled his open wounds, no doubt making the situation worse. When Colin reached up and removed Link's trademark green cap, sand fell out of it like a bucket.

"What in Din's name…" Renado whispered to himself.

"Why is he covered in sand, Mister Renado?" Beth asked as she turned to the older man.

He sighed and responded, "I do not know, child," as he grabbed the bandaging cloth at his side. He nodded to his daughter for assistance and she immediately knew what to do. The shaman placed his hands underneath the unconscious hero's shoulders and lifted up his upper half so that Luda could place some gauze over the wounds on his back. He knew that the most important thing was getting the injuries clean and free of sand so that they did not get infected, but he didn't want the young man to bleed to death in the process. He gently laid Link's head back into the pillow, sat in his chair, and began cleaning the open flesh of his abdomen.

"You all should get along to bed now," Renado stated, not even glancing up from his work.

None of them moved an inch. He looked up to see why they weren't doing as they were told.

"But… we wanna make sure that Link is gonna be okay…" Colin replied timidly.

The shaman sighed; they needed their sleep, but he could also understand their concern. He knew just how important Link was to these children - he was like their big brother that they all looked up to and aspired to be just like. If anything was to ever happen to him, the older man suspected that the children would simply fall apart at the seams.

"Alright," he gave in, knowing full well that they would begin falling asleep of their own accord anyway, "You may stay for now."

"YEAH!" Talo screamed, "I don't have to go back to bed!"

Beth smacked him, "Shut up! You're so loud!"

"You must speak more softly, Talo. You'll wake him u-," the fluttering of the hero's eyelids caught the shaman off guard and made him stop midsentence.

Renado gave the loud, young boy a stern glare and he cowered behind Colin.

Link's eyes stung something awful upon opening, the dim lamplight of the room seemingly bright to him at the moment. He tried his best to focus on the figures before him, but it was all a blurry jumble of shapes and colors. He could make out no words, only slurred mutterings and gibberish that came and went in crescendos and diminuendos. When his senses fully returned to him and he could feel his open flesh being sterilized, it was agonizing. He groaned loudly in pain and closed his eyes tight, clenching his fists at his sides.

"Great job, you woke him up," Malo mumbled.

"I didn't mean to!" he shouted in defense, a truly saddened look in his eyes.

"It's alright, Talo. But we all need to be calm for his sake," Renado interfered. He placed a gentle hand on the young man's shoulder in an attempt to soothe him.

"What's going o-," a quiet, feminine voice could suddenly be heard from behind them. Everyone turned to see a disheveled looking Ilia standing in the doorway, her eyes wide as she stared at the shirtless form on the bed.

In between the pain and the ebbs of consciousness, his best friend's voice rang clear in his foggy mind. He forced his eyes open to see if his ears were betraying him in his hypnopompic state. It was difficult at first to make out who was who, but the harder he tried and the more he blinked away the hazy veil over his vision, the clearer the forms became.

He could see Renado closest on his left with Luda not far behind, Colin closest on his right with Beth and Talo beside him, Malo next to the door, and standing tall and beautiful in the entry was Ilia. He wanted to take her in his arms and tell her how much he'd missed her, but then the rest of his mind returned to him and he remembered that she still had no recollection of being so close to him. He swore the ache in his heart exceeded that of the pain in his torso.

"Link, I…" she stepped closer, her lovely voice chiming in his weary head, "What happened?"

He opened his mouth to respond, but all that came out was wordless rasping. The strain caused him to cough involuntarily. Renado turned him onto his side in order to keep him from choking, grains of sand escaping his throat and piling on the bed and the floor as he did so. When he was done, he eased back down to the cot.

"Is that… sand?" Ilia questioned softly, more to herself than anyone else, as she furrowed her brow and approached the end of the bed.

Renado reached for a nearby glass filled with water and asked, "Can you lift yourself up to drink?"

Link nodded, using all of his strength simply to get up onto his elbows and take the proffered glass. He winced as the movement caused great discomfort in his middle, but he did his best to ignore it. He pressed the cup's exterior to his chapped lips and drank. The cool liquid running over his tongue and down his throat was the best medicine he could ask for; that alone made him feel almost a thousand times better. He downed the entire glass in a matter of seconds and handed it back before relaxing his muscles on the cot once again.

"Link," Ilia spoke up, "What in Hyrule has happened to you?"

Link glanced around at the worried faces staring back at him. His head still pounded something awful as he looked around, but his vision had cleared up drastically from before.

He licked his dry lips before opening his mouth to speak, "It's kind of a long story," he answered, his voice still a bit raspy, but it sounded much better after having quenched his thirst.

"We have time…" the quiet, blunt voice of Malo spoke from across the room.

The hero grunted at the pain of the cleaning, most likely not having even heard the youngest boy's reply. Colin watched his pained face nervously, a certain sadness in his eyes all the while.

"Children," Renado began without looking up from his work, "I do not think Link is in any shape to tell us a story just yet. You all should run along to bed. Perhaps he will be willing to speak of it in the morning."

"So… he's going to be okay?" Colin asked shyly as he glanced up at the shaman.

"Yes," he answered surely.

"You couldn't have told me that an hour ago? I'm going back to sleep," Malo mumbled as his stubby legs took off down the hallway.

"Are you _sure_ he's gonna be okay? He doesn't look so good," Talo said.

Renado nodded, "As long as I am left to my work, he will be fine."

"Okay then… See you in the morning, Link!" Talo shouted as he followed his younger brother into one of the empty rooms to sleep.

Beth watched them both leave in awe at their naivety, "I'm not so easy to convince, Mister Renado. I want to stay here by Link's side and make sure he's gonna be okay."

"If you are sure. It's going to be a long night," Renado stated, glancing up at her tired face.

She yawned, "I'm not even sleepy."

"I'm staying, too. Nothing could make me leave," Colin said as he pulled up a nearby stool and sat at Link's bedside.

Renado couldn't help but smile; these kids just loved Link so much. He continued to work, cleaning out the two large wounds in his front and extracting grains of sand. He hated to cause the poor boy even more pain, but it was necessary to prevent infections. He kept the young man talking, ensuring that he stayed awake just to be safe.

It didn't take long, though, for the children to start falling asleep. Ilia had gone back to her room after some time, Beth had curled up on a nearby sofa and fallen asleep, and Colin had laid his head down at Link's side and dozed off. Noticing that his daughter was in need of sleep as well, the shaman told her that he could take it from there and sent her off to bed.

When he had finished sterilizing the wounds on his torso, he helped Link to flip over onto his stomach so that he could work on his back. With the young ones all fast asleep, Renado decided to ask something that he probably wouldn't have wanted to answer with the children listening.

"So, my boy, are these arrow wounds?"

Link sighed as he turned his head so that he was facing the older man, his left cheek on the soft mattress, "Yes."

Renado nodded, "I can tell by their shape. However," he took on a stern look, "this one below your ribcage is oddly formed for an arrow wound. Was this one manually forced through?"

He held his breath and closed his eyes as he remembered how utterly agonizing it had been when Midna had shoved that second arrow through his flesh. After a moment, he reopened his eyes and nodded.

"I see… I'm terribly sorry you had to suffer through that."

"It isn't your fault," Link replied, his voice soft and barely above a whisper.

Renado was silent for a moment before continuing, "Have you been travelling the desert?" he inferred from the copious amounts of sand the hero was drenched in.

He winced at the sting of the cleaning, "Yes."

"How is it, though, that you have been coughing up sand? You weren't… submerged in it were you?"

Link swallowed as he was reminded of the dryness in his throat, "I was… drowning in it. Long story."

The shaman sighed, "I will not pry. You can relay it to me whenever you feel the need."

The room fell silent again for quite some time, the only sounds being that of the hero's various grunts and grumbles of discomfort.

"I'm sorry that you have been plagued with such a heavy destiny, dear boy. I wish with all my heart that you did not have to go through so much hardship."

Link shook his head, "Thank you, but… don't wish that."

He looked up from his work, an eyebrow raised in perplexity, "Why do you say that?"

"Because… I know I have to do this, and I'm the only one who can. I would never wish this kind of life upon anyone, and I'm glad no one else has to go through this. I'm glad to bear this burden so that it falls to no one else."

Renado just smiled, "Link… you are courageous and wise beyond your years. The Goddesses could not have chosen a better hero."

Those simple words put a smile on the young man's tired face. They calmed him just enough to be able to ignore the pain and soon after… he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

_**To be left with nothing more to give.**_


	31. Breathe

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 7/21/13 – Polished, added scene, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 31: Breathe

**.:.**

"Link! Hey, Link! Get up!"

"Shut up, Talo! Let him sleep! For Din's sake, you are such a child!"

"And what are you, Beth?"

"You shut up too, Malo!"

The voices came and went like waves through the hero's foggy brain. His senses slowly came back to him one after the other. His hearing was first, the children's words coming and going as they bickered from somewhere beside him. His sense of smell was second, the scent of a warm meal entering his nostrils from nearby. His feeling returned to him next, a dull throbbing ever present in his midsection. He grimaced as the relaxation of sleep was now gone and he was back to the discomfort of being awake.

"Good job, stupid. You woke him up."

"Uh, yeah, Malo! That was kind of the point!"

"But he needs his sleep! Gosh, Talo, you can never just keep your mouth shut."

"UGH! Mister Renado! Everyone is being mean to me!"

"Children, please, quiet down."

Link tried to swallow but found it difficult as his throat was exceedingly dry. He licked his chapped lips and felt something squeeze his thumb. His eyelids were heavy as he tried his best to force them open. Through a small slit of vision, he could see Talo, Malo, and Beth on his right arguing about having woken him up. As he turned his head just slightly and looked to the left, he saw Renado standing tall near the end of the cot, and sitting in a stool at his bedside and grasping his finger was a grinning, happy Colin. Link blinked a few times, just to make sure he was seeing things correctly, before giving him a small smile in return.

"Good morning, Link!" the small, blond boy chimed as soon as he could tell that his brother-figure was fully awake. "Are you hungry?"

Oh Goddesses… was he hungry? No, he was _ravenous_.

He blinked a few more times, shaking the last bit of haziness from his vision as he cleared away the remnants of sleep in his mind. He watched as the timid lad grabbed something off the night stand beside him and held it out before him with a grin. The hero nodded as he attempted to get up into a seated position.

The shaman was quickly at his side, "Be careful, Link, go slow. The wounds on your back and torso are still mending."

Link pushed up onto his elbows and instantly felt the pain of moving in his middle. He grimaced, but didn't stop until he was sitting up straight. He couldn't keep himself up, and the position was difficult on his abdomen. Renado suggested for him to sit towards the head of the bed so that he could rest up against the wall in order to eat, and that was what he did. Moving was difficult and sitting up was uncomfortable, but he was so hungry that he didn't care. He winced as he leaned against the cool wall, the temperature shocking his bare skin.

Once he was in as comfortable a position as he was going to get, he outstretched his arms and took the bowl into his grasp. The shaman guided the meal from the boy's hands to the hero's, just to ensure that he wasn't too weak to hold onto it. He held it just fine, the only thing making it slightly difficult being the heat of its exterior.

Steam billowed from the top of the bowl as he looked inside, it appeared to be vegetable pottage, and he couldn't be more ecstatic. It was a simple meal, and something he often ate back home in Ordon, but he was so hungry that it looked and smelled like a feast fit for the king of Hyrule. He dipped the wooden spoon into the stew and raised it to his lips. He could feel the warmth of the contents travel down the entire length of his esophagus – it was revitalizing.

"Isn't it yummy?" Beth asked.

Link nodded, his mouth too full to say anything.

"Ilia makes the best pottage EVER!" Talo shouted enthusiastically.

The hero smiled in between bites; just hearing her name made his heart jump. He finished the hot meal in record time, having downed the entire bowl of pottage in mere minutes.

Noticing that he was done, Renado spoke up, "Children, why don't you go downstairs and help Ilia and Luda clean up the kitchen."

"Aw, do we have to?" Talo whined.

"Just shut up and help every once in a while!" Beth snapped.

Link couldn't help but smirk; he had missed the kids terribly, and he realized that he should really take more time to come here and unwind. The world could wait one day every now and again, couldn't it?

Obliging their elder, Colin grabbed the bowl from the hero's grasp, and all the children headed out the door. He didn't really like being waited on hand and foot, but it was nice to be able to relax his aching muscles. With only him and Renado left in the room, the older man took a seat in the stool Colin had been occupying beside the bed.

"So, my boy, how are you feeling today?"

Link thought on it a moment, wincing a bit as his midsection reminded him of why he was here before replying, "Better than yesterday."

"How's the pain?"

It was still there, that was for sure, but it wasn't unbearable.

"It's… not horrible."

Renado nodded, "Good. I'm glad to hear that you're healing."

Link sighed as he looked down at his bandaged torso.

"Something on your mind?" the older man asked, noticing the look on his face.

He glanced up at him and then back down at his hands in his lap, "Has Ilia come around at all?"

"She has not, I'm afraid," Renado admitted sadly.

Link exhaled again, wanting nothing more than to be able to talk to and confide in his best friend. He wanted so badly to hear her chastise him about mistreating Epona again, just one more time, but the stark reality that it wasn't going to happen was becoming more and more clear as time went on.

"She's never going to remember me again, is she?" he asked bluntly and coldly.

Renado furrowed his brow, "Of course she can still regain her memory. You cannot doubt it, my son, or else it will never come to pass. All things hang in the balance according to your faith in them, or lack thereof."

Link looked up and met his honest stare, "That's very insightful, Mister Renado," he said genuinely, "I'm not entirely sure I believe it, but… it's a nice way to look at things."

"It is simply truth, dear boy. You will come to see that for yourself."

"Hm," he mumbled to himself as he thought about the shaman's words.

Renado decided it was best to change the subject, "Do you feel well rested?"

He nodded, even though he was still quite tired, "I do. How long was I asleep?"

"You merely slept through the late night into the early morning. I would have liked for you to rest longer, but the children saw to that."

Link chuckled, "It's alright."

"I think the children's company is good for your spirits."

The hero smiled crookedly as he realized the truth in that statement, "Yeah… I think you're right."

It was silent for a few moments, the subject of the kids forcing Link to remember what those wicked ghosts had shown him back in the Arbiter's Grounds. Did everyone truly, secretly blame him for what had happened with the Bulblins?

The wise man could easily tell that he was thinking of something unpleasant, "Is something else troubling you?"

Link sighed, "I, uh…" he closed his eyes, the vision replaying in his mind as he tried to figure out how to say it to the shaman without sounding insane. He scoffed, "You probably won't believe me."

"I will have an open mind," he stated sincerely.

"Alright, well," he began as he scratched the back of his neck, "You know how I said I was… drowning in sand?"

The shaman nodded.

"Well, I was in the desert… in the ancient prison called the Arbiter's Keep-"

"You travelled to the old execution grounds?" Renado asked, pure shock on his mature features.

Link nodded.

The older man's eyes went wide, "That is a great distance away… many, many miles. You trekked there on foot?"

"Yes," he answered, the memory of the task leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

"That is…"

"Foolish?" Link offered with a dry chuckle.

"Remarkable," he finished, "What was the keep like?"

"Uh, well…" he stammered, thinking of how to put that horrible place into words.

Renado quickly shook his head and waved his hand, dismissing his words, "I'm sorry, you do not need to relive it. I'm sure it is not a good memory."

"That's definitely true," Link laughed coldly, "But that's partly what I was going to talk to you about."

The shaman got quiet, giving him the opportunity to speak.

"There were these… evil poes… that tormented me and showed me a horrifying vision where everyone hated me and blamed me for the children's kidnapping… I know that must sound crazy."

Renado furrowed his brow, "Do you believe that what it showed you is true?"

Link thought on it a moment, "I… I don't know."

"You must feel that it _is _true, or else it wouldn't bother you as it has."

He sighed, "I guess I do."

"Everyone harboring a hatred for you should be the farthest from your worries. The children are simply crazy over you and no one holds you accountable for their kidnapping. If it wasn't for you, Din only knows where we would all be. You cannot blame yourself for things of the past, my son," Renado replied with all the seriousness in the world.

"Yeah, I've been told that," he half-smiled, casting a sideways glance at his shadow.

A quiet, timid knock on the open door caught the two males' attention as they both turned and looked in the direction of the sound. Ilia stood in the threshold, the knuckles of her right hand still pressed against the wooden door, unsure if she had permission to enter.

"Um… Can I come in?" she asked, glancing back and forth between the two men.

Renado smiled, "Of course, of course," he stood from his seat and headed for the door, motioning for Ilia to take his place, "I'll leave you two to talk."

The shaman took his leave, leaving the door open only a slit as he exited. Ilia confusedly sat down in the stool beside Link's bed, her brow furrowed all the while.

"Why did he leave us to talk?" she questioned as she turned and met the young man's gaze.

He shrugged, trying to pretend as if he didn't know, "I'm not sure."

"Well, I just came to see if you were alright…" she said as she looked him over. He had dark circles under his tired eyes; he looked like he hadn't slept in weeks. He was still sitting upright, leaning back against the wall, with naught but the gauze around his torso covering his upper half. The white bandaging was tinged a very light red, only speckles dotting it on the sides directly above where his wounds lay underneath. She remembered how much blood she had seen on him last night and how much it had affected her. She wasn't entirely sure why… but for some reason she cared very much about his wellbeing even though she hardly knew him.

He smiled at her concern, "I'm alright," he answered honestly.

She smiled in return, it was small and it appeared to be forced, but it was present nonetheless, "Good."

Link couldn't take his eyes off of her; she was so beautiful. Keeping himself composed around her was becoming more and more difficult. He wanted nothing more than to reach over and grab her into a tight embrace, but he knew in her current state of mind that that wasn't an option.

"So, explain something to me… I don't understand why you're always getting hurt. Do you just go out looking for trouble?"

He stared at her blankly, at a complete loss for what to say, "Uh, well, no… I don't really go looking for _trouble_, exactly…"

"Then what?" she asked plainly, her tone escalating to the point of near anger, "Because every time you come back here you're always hurt very badly. You know these kids care a lot about you… they said they grew up with you, right?"

"Right…"

"So then, don't be so careless! I don't know if that's just in your nature to have people worry over you constantly or not, but that's what you're making all of us do around here. The kids simply mope around all day, wondering when their '_hero_' will come back. Sometimes they wonder if you'll even come back at all."

She was right – he should take more time to come visit the children other than when he was injured and in need of Renado's healing abilities. He didn't mind having her reprimand him, though; he had actually missed it terribly. At least her personality hadn't changed when she lost her memory. She was still the same Ilia, overprotective and paranoid, but so thoughtful and caring at the same time. He could listen to her berate him for hours.

"You have nothing to say?"

He glanced away from her momentarily before returning to meet her gaze again, "I'm sorry."

Her expression didn't change, she didn't move or say anything, she simply stared into his eyes. Minutes went by of just staring, a bit of a saddened look creeping onto her features. Link didn't know why she was staring at him like that, but he didn't mind it one bit, so he kept his mouth shut. She suddenly inhaled and exhaled, as if she had been holding her breath the entire time before she finally broke the trance between them. She looked down at her hands folded in her lap before speaking again.

"I'm sorry, I-I don't know what's wrong with me. I don't know why you feel so… important to me…"

"You're important to me too, Ilia," he went to touch her hand, but she quickly pulled her's away.

She suddenly looked appalled, and it was like a dagger in his heart. "I don't even know you…"

He sighed; he knew there was nothing he could say.

"I, um…" she began as she glanced out the window and then back to him, "I really like your horse. You said her name was Epona, right?"

Link gave a miniscule smile, "Yeah, Epona."

"She's beautiful," she stated simply, wearing a fond smile as she talked about the adored mare.

"Thank you. I really try to take good care of her, because I have a…" he paused to think of what word to use, "…a really good friend that gets mad at me if I don't."

She froze, "A… good friend?"

He nodded.

"Hm…" she went quiet, her head hung low as she stared at her knees for a moment before looking back up at Link, "Well, she's outside. She came galloping in early this morning all frazzled. I think she knows you're here. You should go see her when you feel up to it."

"I will."

She nodded and the room fell silent once again for what felt like an eternity.

"I'm sorry if what I said freaked you out… I just feel so close to you and I have no idea why…" she shook her head quickly, wishing she could take back her last words, "I know we just met so I must sound like a crazy person, I'm so sorry… I need to go," she stammered as she hastily got out of her seat and headed for the door.

Link grabbed her wrist before she could get too far away, "Wait, Ilia."

He was so fed up with her feeling awkward around him; he just wanted his best friend back. He didn't care at the moment that Renado said that telling her everything she's forgotten would be the wrong way to make her remember, he was just going to tell her. He wanted nothing more than for her to know him, to talk to him, to be his friend again. He was going to tell her and that was that.

She turned and looked at him, "Let me go," she stated calmly.

"Please, just wait. I know why you feel that wa-"

"Hello?" a shy voice stopped the hero in midsentence as they both turned to look at the door that was slightly ajar. Colin popped his head in seconds later, furrowing his brow when he noticed Link tightly grasping Ilia's forearm and he asked, "What's going on?"

Link quickly let go and Ilia didn't waste a moment as she took off down the hallway. The young boy watched her confusedly before turning back to his brother figure on the cot who didn't look very happy.

"What's wrong?" Colin asked as he approached the side of Link's bed.

The hero sighed; there went his opportunity, "Oh, just missing Ilia, that's all."

"Didn't you just see her?"

Link smiled slightly, realizing that the young boy didn't fully comprehend what he meant, "Yeah, I did."

"I think I know what you mean, though," he said as he plopped down in the nearby chair.

"Do you?"

"Yeah. You mean how she's been all… not knowing any of us, right?"

He nodded sadly, "Right."

"Well, Mister Renado says she's doing really good and that she'll be better soon! You think so too, don't you?"

Link couldn't help but smile; the innocence and optimism of the children was heartwarming, "Yes… I think so, too."

Colin grinned ear to ear, "Good! If we just keep talking to her and being real nice, I know she'll remember us!"

Link chuckled quietly, humoring the boy's thought process compared to his own.

"Are you feeling better today?" Colin asked with a smile.

"I am."

"Did you know I stayed right here by you _all_ night to make sure you got better?" he chirped happily.

Link smiled, "I didn't know. Thank you, you really helped me to feel better."

The blond boy's eyes went wide as saucers, "Really? I helped you get better?"

"Of course you did."

He grinned so wide his eyes were practically forced shut, but Link didn't give him time to reply as he continued speaking.

"So, Colin… how have you been?"

"Good," he answered in a singsong voice – Link should have expected that simple response, he remembered replying in that same way when he was his age and adults would ask him how he was.

"Has it been fun in Kakariko?"

"Yeah! Mister Renado lets me play in the spring early in the morning and sometimes I get to see some tadpoles!"

Link smiled, "That's good."

"Yeah," his face suddenly dropped, "But… when you're gone for a long time, we all worry about you a lot. Sometimes Malo tells us that you ran off and died somewhere," he sniffled, "and… I know he's joking, but… I don't think it's funny… it's just not funny!"

The hero watched as a tear fell from the young boy's lashes. They had been talking about happy things and just like that, in a matter of seconds, he was crying about something else entirely. He had never really thought about how his long-term disappearances would affect the children, mostly because he never really had any idea how long he was gone at a time.

"Hey," Link said soothingly as he placed a bare hand on Colin's small shoulder, "It's okay. Listen… Malo just likes to joke about things that he shouldn't joke about sometimes, but that doesn't mean they're true. I know when I leave that I'm sometimes gone for a long time… but I'll always come back, okay?"

He looked up, wiping his nose with the back of his hand as he did so, "Are you sure?"

He nodded, "Yeah. I might not always look too good when I come back," he mustered a dry chuckle, "but I'll always come back."

The young boy sniffled, "That's what Mister Renado said, too…"

"Yeah, see? So it _must_ be true," he said with a reassuring smile, contagiously making Colin do the same. He dried his eyes and his nose and did his best to stop the tears from flowing; he knew deep down that Link would always come back, but it didn't take much for him to be convinced otherwise by the other children.

"I need you to be brave for me," Link began as he placed his pointer finger underneath the boy's chin and raised it, forcing him to look at him, "I need you to protect everyone when I can't be here."

"Talo already watches for monsters on the hill."

"I don't mean protect them from monsters. I mean protect them from being sad, from worrying about me."

He looked puzzled, "How am I supposed to do that?"

"Whenever anyone is feeling sad, about anything, make them feel better just by being you – you're good at that, look at how much better you made me feel."

He smiled.

"And whenever anyone is worrying that I won't come back…" he paused to think, "Tell them I said that there is nothing in all of Hyrule more important to me than all of you, and that I will always make it back to you no matter what."

He grinned again, "Okay, Link! I'll do my best."

Link ruffled the younger boy's hair, "I know you will."

It was silent after that for quite some time. The hero's eyelids grew heavy and it soon became nearly impossible to keep them open. The soreness in his middle had been ever present, like a dull, incessant nagging. He winced as he shifted in the cot, trying to get comfortable.

Colin noticed his discomfort and decided to start the conversation back up, hoping to keep his mind off of the pain. "Mister Renado told me that the Goddesses really like you."

Link's eyes widened just slightly, "He did? What did he say?"

"He said that the Goddesses like you a whole bunch, so they picked you to fight all the bad guys and they gave you that shiny sword," he responded, motioning to the blade beside the doorway.

The hero couldn't help but chuckle – putting it that way didn't make it sound half bad, "That's the gist of it."

"So when you leave the village, you're off fighting bad guys? Is that why you always come back hurt?" he asked curiously.

"Well," he tried to come up with a better way to put it, but found that there really wasn't one, "Yeah, pretty much."

"But… you can do anything, Link! If the Goddesses like you so much, why do they let you get hurt all the time?"

Link sighed, thinking, '_good question_,' "It isn't the Goddesses' fault. Sometimes I just… get careless and make mistakes. Sometimes the bad guys I fight are too big or too strong. Sometimes there's just too many bad guys and only one me."

Colin seemed confused, "I still don't understand…"

Link chuckled, "You will one day."

The room fell silent once again, and his exhaustion soon became too much for him to handle. Lead weights began tugging on his eyelids and he could no longer resist the pleasant sensation of sleep. His head lulled to the side and in a snap, he was out.

"Link?" Colin called quietly, standing up and getting directly in front of his face. "Link?"

Fearing the worst, the small boy ran down to the kitchen, grabbed Renado by the arm, and practically dragged him up the flight of stairs into the room where Link lay.

"Is he okay?" the young blond-haired boy asked worriedly, panting for breath.

The shaman smiled as he approached the side of the bed, "Of course he's okay, my child. He is merely sleeping."

Colin sighed in relief.

"Although," Renado began, "he does look terribly uncomfortable, wouldn't you say?"

The boy nodded. Link was still sitting upright with his back against the wall, his head hanging to the left and slightly forward, and his hands at his sides. Renado lifted the unconscious hero just slightly and moved his body further down the bed, allowing him to lay down flat. Colin then grabbed the covers and pulled them over Link's bare chest to keep him warm. The older man smiled at the display and they both took their leave, allowing him the undisturbed rest he so desperately needed.

He slept through the rest of the day and the following night peacefully, not waking up until the next morning. He sat up with a bit of difficulty; the movement in his midsection still very much uncomfortable. He spotted his clothes on the nearby table and his sword and shield propped up by the door. He stood up with a wince and grabbed the pile of clothing.

"Well, look who's up," that familiar voice sounded from his shadow before making herself visible.

Link smirked as she hovered in front of him with her hands on her hips and not looking pleased, "Alright, what is it? What are you mad at me for now?"

"I asked you to do one simple thing, and you couldn't even do that."

"What are you talking about?" he asked as he tried not to laugh at her fake temper tantrum.

"I asked you to stay awake while I was trying to get someone up!" she barked, throwing down her fists.

He furrowed his brow, trying to remember, "I don't know what you're talking about."

She huffed, "Think about it."

"I'm guessing it was when I was trying to make it to the sanctuary and I passed out, right?"

She nodded vigorously.

"Midna," he scoffed, "I barely even remember that."

"Well… just don't do it again! I hate worrying over you all the time," she said honestly as she folded her arms over her chest.

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah, yeah," she tried to hide the smile but failed miserably, "So I'm guessing you're feeling better since you're up and getting dressed?"

He nodded, "Still pretty sore, but definitely better."

"Good! Let's get going then!" she chimed thankfully.

"Do we even know where we're going?" Link asked.

"Uh…" she paused to think, "The first place the sages mentioned was a snowy mountain."

"The only snowy mountain I know of in Hyrule is Snowpeak."

"Well, then I guess we're going there."

"First I want to go see Telma and everyone at the bar."

"Why?"

"Because they're working to restore this land, too. Maybe they know something about the mountains that could be helpful."

She rolled her eyes, "Oh, fine."

"I know you secretly like it there," he smirked, "I think you and Telma's cat are on the verge of becoming best friends."

"What? No way!" she yelled, "Cats don't even exist in the Twilight Realm, and it's a good thing, too. They're disgusting creatures!"

He couldn't fight the laughter at her display – he knew talking about Louise would set her off. He didn't know why she held such a disdain for felines, but he liked to use it to his advantage whenever the opportunity presented itself. With a huff, the imp retreated back into his shadow as he finished getting dressed.

He noticed that his clothes had been skillfully cleaned just like each time before. The blood was out of all of his clothing, and even his chainmail had been pieced back together. It wasn't an expert job – the metal links that were put in were easily spotted and probably weren't as durable as the originals – but he still greatly appreciated it. Lastly, he strapped on his effects and headed out the door.

He passed by Luda who was relaxing with a book on the main level of the inn. He grabbed an apple from the kitchen and gave a wave to the young girl before heading outside. Standing on the porch and watching the children play was Renado. He took an oversized bite of his apple as Renado greeted him.

"I take it you are feeling better?"

Link nodded as he took another mouthful.

The shaman smiled, "I'm glad. If you are planning on leaving, the children have been working on giving Epona a good washing for you over by the spring."

Having finished his apple, he wiped his mouth with his forearm as something he had left unfinished found its way into his mind. Tightening his brow in apprehension – he was not looking forward to what he was about to do – he interjected, "Actually, I need to speak to Ralis about something… Do you know where he is?"

Renado took on a disparaging look himself, having understood exactly what it was the hero had to relay to the Zora prince, "He finds solace in the graveyard most days. I think he has already felt the absence of his mother's spirit from this world, but I know your telling him of her last words will help ease his weary mind. What he needs is closure, and you can give him that."

Link gave a sigh and a nod, contemplating how he was going to phrase such a dreadful thing. Without another word to the shaman, the hero turned around and made haste for the watery graves of the Zora royal family behind Kakariko Graveyard.

When Link emerged in the peaceful clearing, the prince did not seem shocked to see that a Hylian had found his way here at all. Link swam up to the opposite patch of land where Ralis stood before the large headstone. As he pulled himself up out of the water, the prince began speaking before he could get a word out.

"You're Link… right?"

He nodded.

"My mother came to me in a dream… She showed me your image. She spoke of a youth who would save our domain and steer my fate – one named Link."

A bit confused, he cleared his throat, "You know, then? About your mother?"

The hero could see the tears billowing up behind the young Zora's lashes, but he was desperately fighting them back, "Yes… I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach when I woke up after being ill… And then she presented herself in my dream and it became all too real. Did she… say anything to you?"

"She did… She wanted to tell you to be brave and live on as the king of your people. She said not to grieve for her, and that she loves you very much."

Ralis hung his head then, no longer able to hold the tears back. Link pretended not to see as the prince did not wish to be seen, but his heart ached at the sound of the boy's quiet sobs.

"What would my mother have thought if she could see me now?" he suddenly said, keeping his head lowered, "I have so little confidence in myself… I could not even carry out one simple task for my mother… I am so unlike her. I doubt I am even qualified to rule… What can a pitiful Zora like me do?"

Link breathed deep, truly saddened at the young prince's words. He understood how he felt: alone, afraid, and most of all, empty.

"I did not know your mother well, but I know that she would not want you to think of yourself in such a way. She would not want you to mourn for her or to pity yourself, she would want you to grow stronger from your hardships and become a better ruler for your people because of them."

Ralis perked his head up but remained quiet.

"To say that you don't have confidence in yourself is to go against what your mother thought. She had every confidence in you and she knew, without a doubt, that you would lead your people to greatness. She knew you were more than qualified to rule, you were _born_ to rule. The blood of countless rulers before you flows in your veins, and the determination and strength it takes to carry on after losing both of your parents will only make you a wiser leader."

"You… really think I can? My mother really thinks I can?"

He smiled and nodded.

Ralis sniffled, drying his nose with the back of his hand, "Honestly, I still do not feel very confident in myself… But I refuse to let my mother down. And perhaps, along the way, confidence will present itself."

Silence filled the air for a moment before the Zora spoke up again, "You speak about losing a parent as if it is from experience. Has this happened to you?"

He nodded sadly, "I lost both of my parents when I was around your age."

Ralis frowned, "And you… became stronger from their passing?"

Link thought on it for a second, realizing that that was a very mature way to look at it, "Yeah, I guess I did."

The prince gave a half-hearted smile, "That is good to know… Perhaps, one day, I will be able to look back on this time as a time of strengthening. Though, right now, it is nothing but painful."

"It's okay to be in pain right now; it would be unnatural if you weren't. Take the time you need. Eventually, it will become easier to bear. I think your people can wait on you a bit longer, and I'm sure they will understand that you needed this time to heal."

Prince Ralis glanced at the tombstone before him, then back at Link before saying, "I think… I think I will stay here a bit longer… I can feel my mother's spirit here… I will return to my people when I am ready."

"Take as much time as you need," he said at last as he prepared to dive back into the water and exit the Zora graveyard, giving the boy his space.

"Link," the boy's voice stopped him in his tracks, "Thank you… Your words have helped me more than you know."

He smiled, "You're welcome."

And with that, he left the grieving boy to himself, and he made his way back to the village where he could say his farewells to the children.

As soon as he emerged from the graveyard from behind the sanctuary, he spotted the kids still laughing and giggling as they fawned over Epona. He approached them quickly, eager to reunite with his mare again. Beth and Talo were sponging her coat with the spring water, Ilia was brushing her mane, and Colin was feeding her carrots. He assumed Malo was most likely in his shop. Most horses didn't like being surrounded by so many people like she currently was, but she didn't mind in the slightest. Epona had always loved people – especially _these_ people – and she just couldn't get enough attention. When she caught sight of her master, however, she could have cared less what they were doing for her.

Having just passed by the sanctuary, the mare spotted Link and went running for him. He halted in place and prepared himself to be bombarded. He smiled when she finally reached him and she practically knocked him over as she nuzzled his face with her nose.

"Hey girl," he laughed as she licked him, "Miss me?"

She whinnied and he just couldn't help but beam ear to ear. He rubbed his hand up and down the length of her snout lovingly. He had been so engulfed in the moment that he hadn't noticed anyone approaching him.

"Epona sure missed you, Link!" Beth shouted as she ran up to them, followed closely behind by Talo and Colin.

"I can see that," the hero said with a chuckle.

"We took good care of her!" Colin said.

"Yeah! We were giving her a good washing!" Talo added excitedly.

Link smiled genuinely, "Thank you." He looked past the kids when he saw Ilia making her way over to them holding something in her hand.

"For Epona," she said as she closed the space between them and held out her hand.

He looked down as he placed his gloved hand beneath her's and she dropped a few sugar cubes into his grasp. He grinned, "Thanks. She loves these." He turned back to his mare and she practically inhaled the treats. Her furry muzzle tickled his bare fingers as she snacked happily on the sweets.

"So, you're leaving again?" Ilia asked flatly, catching the attention of the kids as they looked at him disappointedly.

He glanced between all of them in turn before replying, "Yes, I am."

She sighed, "Try to be more careful this time."

"I will," he stated surely as he grabbed the saddle horn, placed his boot in the stirrup, and hoisted himself up onto his mount. His mare shook her mane, happy to travel with her master again.

"When will you be back?" Beth inquired.

"I can't say for sure, but I promise I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?"

The three children nodded wordlessly.

Before taking off, Link turned to the youngest boy and said, "And Colin, don't forget what we talked about."

"I'll do my best, Link!" the blond-haired boy said eagerly.

The hero flashed a smile at the group before kicking Epona's sides and taking off out of the village in a quick canter.

* * *

_**Inhale, exhale... One step at a time.**_


	32. Resisting Shapes

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 9/6/13 – Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 32: Resisting Shapes

**.:.**

There wasn't a cloud in the bright blue sky as Link travelled to Castle Town atop Epona. Midna had offered to warp him directly outside of the town, but he had refused; there was nothing he found more peaceful or relaxing than riding his mare.

Trekking across Hyrule Field from Kakariko Village to the castle took the entire day. He arrived at the bridge that led into the town just after the sun set behind the mountains. He dismounted Epona, gave her a few loving pats and an extra sugar cube, and headed through the large, wooden doors at the end of the bridge. The town was still hectic and bustling, but it was much quieter now than it usually was during the middle of the day. People hurried through the streets, attempting to get the last of their errands done before the shops closed for the night.

Link loved the busy town feeling here; it was the polar opposite from what he was used to and he found it refreshing. He took his time strolling through the small city on his way to Telma's bar. He stopped a few times along the way to pet the stray dogs and cats, though – he had always had a soft spot for animals.

After descending the small flight of stairs into the quiet alcove that housed the famous bar, he grasped the handle and whisked the door open. A warm, inviting breeze enveloped him head to toe and beckoned him in farther. He closed the door behind him and it didn't take another second before the bar's proprietress noticed his presence.

"Well, if it isn't Link! How've you been honey?" Telma asked enthusiastically from behind the counter.

He approached her with a smile, "I've been alright."

"That's good to hear. How's that Ilia doing?"

He glanced away from her knowing eyes, a saddened look now in his own.

She could easily tell what that meant, "No progress yet, sweet pea?"

He shook his head.

"Well, that's alright, honey. I'm sure that shaman will find a way to get her memory back. That Renado is a talented man for sure!"

He smiled, "That he is."

"Well, how about you head on over to that crazy gang of misfits back there," she motioned to the resistance group at the far back table, "I'm sure they'd enjoy your company."

Link nodded with a, "Will do," and headed in that direction.

None of them had noticed him yet, but as he drew closer he began to be able to make out their conversation.

"-walking through town the other day, and all of a sudden this little kid comes out of nowhere and just bumps into me, yeah? Kid just full on ran into me and didn't even apologize," Ashei could be heard telling a story.

Shad shook his head as he clicked his tongue, "The youths of today are so careless, wouldn't you say, Auru?"

"Well, all of you are youths to me, so I guess I would say yes."

The group broke out into laughter.

"Touché, Auru, touché," the scholarly young man admitted with a smile.

Link cleared his throat from beside the table, hoping to get their attention.

Rusl turned in the direction of the sound and immediately got to his feet, "Link! My boy! How have you been?" he asked excitedly as he took the hero into a tight hug.

Link reciprocated the gesture, "I haven't been too bad. What about you?"

Rusl stepped back and motioned for him to sit down as he pulled up another chair and placed it between him and Shad, "I've been well. Come, tell us about your time in the desert."

Link sat down with a huff, not knowing where to begin – everyone's eyes being on him and their ears listening intently made it all the more difficult, "Uh, well, it wasn't very pleasant. I'll leave it at that."

"Oh, come now, boy! We have been so eager to hear about what evils lie in the ancient prison," Auru egged him on, Ashei throwing in a '_yeah_' after him to further persuade him to talk about it.

Link sat blank-faced, at a complete loss for what to say, "Um… It was hot, creepy, filled with quicksand, and there were poes everywhere."

"Tch," the only female scoffed, "There's no such things as poes. They're made up creatures that people tell at campfires just to scare each other, yeah?"

"Actually, Ashei," Shad began, his hand holding up his chin as if deep in thought, "I do believe that I have seen a poe or two for myself in my day. They are quite real, indeed."

Ashei rolled her eyes but said not a word.

"Well, it is simply a matter of one's own personal beliefs," Rusl intervened to calm the bickering, "So you think you saw poes, Link?"

"No," he laughed dryly, "I _know_ I saw poes. They were… very malicious in intent."

Auru furrowed his brow, "Why do you say that?"

"They…" he paused to think as he relived the horrible memories that he had been trying so hard to push aside all this time, "They knew my weaknesses, my fears. And they… they used that against me and got inside my head."

"Are you sure you weren't seeing things?" Ashei asked bitterly.

He nodded sternly, "I'm sure. There were even ghost rats."

"Ghost… _rats_?" Rusl repeated, unsure if he had heard him correctly or if the boy was only joking.

"Yes," Link nodded again, "I'm sure it sounds crazy, but it's true."

"That is fascinating! Simply fascinating!" Shad began enthusiastically, "How absurd for the Goddesses to give rats – _vermin_, of all things! – a chance at an afterlife! How peculiar and absolutely titillating! I must write this down at once," he stated as he flipped open a nearby notepad and began writing furiously, "The other fellows in the library will find this information simply intriguing!"

Ashei let her forehead fall into her open palm and she shook her head in disbelief while the other two males chuckled at the young man's passion for knowledge. After a moment or two of silence, Rusl started up a new conversation.

"So, my boy, let us not dwell on distressing matters. We should discuss our efforts to restore Hyrule. Let's get you something to drink first."

"Yeah, because _that_ isn't distressing," Ashei mumbled sarcastically under her breath.

"Just milk is fine," Link said politely.

"How boring! Wouldn't you rather have some ale?" the young woman asked.

He shook his head negative, "Nah. Gotta keep a clear head."

Rusl ruffled his hair proudly, "That's right."

Auru got Telma's attention and she was at the table in a matter of seconds to take her favorite guests' drink orders. After listening to them give her the same requests as usual and taking a moment to joke about how each of them always got the same thing, she was off to fetch their beverages. When she returned, she placed a heavy mug in front of each member of the resistance and a thin glass in front of Link. Ashei's drink was a pumpkin ale, Auru's was a dark lager, Rusl's was a strong whisky, and Shad's was a light mead.

"Ah," Auru began after his first swallow, "Now that we have quenched our thirst, tell me… What is it you have been up to on your adventures to better our beautiful Hyrule?"

Link scratched the back of his neck nervously, "Well… I've been all over the place and I've done some pretty crazy things."

"So _vague_," Ashei complained.

"It's just, I don't think you guys would believe me if I told you," Link admitted, a serious look on his face.

Rusl sighed; he knew what he was talking about, "It's alright. You don't have to go into details, Link."

"Come on, Rusl. Don't let him off so easy. We just wanna hear what he's been up to, yeah? We wanna know if he's putting that _hero getup_ to good use," Ashei rebutted.

Link flinched at the remark. He was sure she didn't mean any harm by it, it was just in her nature to be blunt, he figured. He glanced down at his '_hero getup_' and then back up at her. He didn't know what to say; he knew that trying to explain the true story of being the hero chosen by the Goddesses wouldn't go over well. He knew they wouldn't believe him, why should they anyway? There wasn't an ounce of visible proof that he had done anything of significance. The only thing noble they knew that he had done was when he had escorted Telma, Ralis, and Ilia to Kakariko Village. Other than that, the only thing that was easily spotted that made any difference was the restoration of Lake Hylia; everything else he had been doing – all the vanquishing of evil and the like – couldn't be acknowledged unless it was witnessed first-hand, which it wasn't.

Even if he told them that he had exterminated many malevolent forces, how would they know he was telling the truth? It was different with Renado and the kids at Kakariko because they had all seen the aftermath of his journey multiple times.

"Now, Ashei… You don't have to be rude," Auru stated calmly, "We already know that he's been putting it to good use. Haven't you heard how many people speak highly of him around town?"

Link was taken aback; people were speaking highly of him in the town? Perhaps it was the Gorons spreading word since he had saved their patriarch, or the Zoras mentioning something about thawing their frozen domain. Other than that, he couldn't think of any people that had actually seen him doing anything of importance.

"I guess," Ashei rolled her eyes, "But I want to _see_ something being done, you know?" she turned and looked directly into Link's eyes, "I'm not trying to come off…" she stopped to look for the appropriate word.

"Ill-mannered? Cheeky? Loutish?" Shad offered boldly.

The dark-haired woman shot him an icy glare and he averted her gaze quickly. She returned to meet Link's stare.

"I'm not trying to be mean," she finished at last, "There are just so many people out there who are all talk, yeah? They say they're going to do good for our kingdom, but it stops there. I just want to know if you're any different."

The table went quiet, an awkward silence befalling all of them as the three men looked between Ashei and Link, wondering what would be said next. The hero nodded slowly in understanding, glancing away from her for a moment; her reasoning for questioning him was definitely one that he could understand.

He knew he could simply show her the glowing triforce on the back of his left hand, or the ancient Master Sword in its scabbard on his back, but he decided against it. He chose not to not only because he didn't care for the extra attention or because of the fear that they would treat him differently, but also because he wanted to prove to them that he was serious by showing them with his _actions_; merely displaying the symbol or the blade given to him by the Goddesses felt like a cheap way out. No, he would get much more enjoyment out of letting them witness his efforts first-hand.

"Thank you for putting it that way," he looked back into her dark brown eyes, "I'll do whatever I can to show you that I'm different."

Ashei's eyes widened just ever so slightly; she hadn't been expecting that response one bit. Most men she verbally challenged in that fashion would simply give her a sarcastic, arrogant reply. His, however, was humble, honest, and reassuring – it was refreshing to know not all the men of Hyrule were cowards.

She smiled genuinely, something the other members of the resistance weren't entirely accustomed to, "I look forward to it."

He half-smiled in return before taking a sip of his milk.

"So, Link," Rusl began, desperate to change the subject, "Have you been to Ordon as of late?"

He shook his head shamefully, "I'm afraid I haven't. Have you heard any news from Uli?"

"I have. She writes to me quite often, as does Colin."

"Still no baby?"

"Not yet," Rusl responded surely.

"Rusl, don't you think you should be with your wife during these times?" Auru questioned.

"She still has a few months left, and she understands that Hyrule is in need of desperate help."

"You better hope that baby doesn't decide to come early," Ashei added.

Rusl smiled, "I know, I know. I was planning to go visit Colin in Kakariko and then stop by and see Uli and everyone back in Ordon in a week or two. I was hoping you would join me, Link."

"That would be great. I know Colin misses you very much," Link responded honestly.

The older man sighed, "As do I. He's a good lad, that one."

The hero nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly.

"So, where are your grand adventures leading you to next, old chap?" Shad asked, intrigued.

"Well, that's actually why I stopped by to see you all. I know I need to travel to a snowy mountain, but the only one I know of is Snowpeak," Link answered, glancing between each of the group members in turn.

Shad sighed, hoping he could be of some assistance but was disappointed when hearing it was something that was not in his area of expertise, "That would be Ashei's forte, I'm afraid."

Ashei scoffed, "You don't have to be such a snot about it."

"'A snot'?" Shad parroted, seemingly offended, "I do say, that is quite _rude_ of you. I was merely stating to the old boy that you are the most knowledgeable about Hyrule's mountain ranges."

"Uh huh… You're just jealous because I-"

"Can you just help the boy and be done with it?" Auru butted in, "Sweet Nayru, you two bicker more than an old married couple."

Both Ashei and Shad's jaws practically hit the floor.

"Ew! Auru, please! Don't make me puke!" Ashei shouted.

"Well, that is _quite_ the accusation! But it is actually fairly inaccurate. Allow me to point out why! You see, most mar-"

"No, no, no," Rusl cut him off with a hearty laugh, "Let's not get into that. Can we get back to what we were discussing now?"

"Oh, yes. I do apologize, old boy," Shad said, directing his apology at Link, "Ashei can be quite awkward in social gatherings, I'm afraid."

Ashei inhaled and exhaled once slowly, doing her best to ignore the young man with glasses that got under her skin so intensely.

"Well," she began, looking to Link as she shrugged off Shad's last statement, "There are lots of mountains in Hyrule, but there's really only one that gets snow year-round and that _is_ Snowpeak. That mountain has actually been of great interest to me lately. The few Zoras that come through the bar mention a great beast that lives on top of the mountain coming down into their home much too frequently. And apparently it has been storming nonstop, yeah? Pretty strange if you ask me. The occasional blizzard is normal, but constantly? No… I think something's up."

Link nodded as he listened intently and sipped on his cool beverage, "Well, I guess that's where I'll be heading next."

"I was planning on checking it out first thing in the morning," Ashei said, "Care to join me?"

The hero smirked – maybe this would be his first chance to show her that he wasn't the typical lazy soldier that made empty promises of helping to restore Hyrule, "I would love to."

Ashei smiled slightly in return, "It's settled then! We're leaving early, so you might want to head to bed soon, yeah?"

He furrowed his brow, "What about you?"

She flicked her hand in his direction as if to say his words were absurd, "I climb treacherous mountains all the time; I'm used to it. You need the sleep so you don't get out there and fall out from exhaustion."

He narrowed his eyes; if only she knew what he had done on little to no sleep – she had no idea what _true_ exhaustion felt like, but he did. He wouldn't argue with her though, he simply stared into her eyes and replied, "Alright then, I guess I'm off to bed."

"You can take my room, son," Rusl offered, "I won't be going to sleep anytime soon. It's up the stairs and the second door on the left."

Link nodded in appreciation, finished the last of his milk, and headed for the staircase behind the table as he said, "See you in the morning."

He went up the secretive stairway and entered the aforementioned bedchamber. He had remembered Telma stating briefly that she kept rooms in the back for her friends, but he had yet to see them for himself. It was nothing special, but it was certainly better than sleeping in the middle of nowhere. He closed the door behind him, dropped his things at the foot of the bed, and plopped down on the soft cot with a slow exhale in relaxation.

"So why didn't you just show that girl the Master Sword? I'm sure that would have shut her up in a second flat," the imp stated as she popped out of his shadow and hovered beside the bed.

"I don't want them to trust me simply because they _have_ to because I carry a famous blade. I want them to trust me because they _want_ to because I've shown them that I am worthy of it," Link replied genuinely.

Midna rolled her eyes playfully, "So _hero-like_."

Link chuckled, "It's just the truth."

"Yeah, yeah. Get some sleep already. You have to be up with the sun, remember?"

He looked over at her, "Come on, Midna. You've witnessed yourself how I can get by on very little sleep."

She placed her hands on her hips, giving him a look as if to be saying, '_just shut up and go to sleep_.'

He smirked, "Oh, fine. But I'm hardly even tired," he gave in with a slight chuckle.

Somewhere in between five and ten minutes, the hero was already out cold and drooling on his pillow – sure, he wasn't tired at all. Midna couldn't help but giggle from his shadow as he lightly snored through the night.

The morning came quickly and as soon as the sun's rays filtered in through the small window in Link's temporary residence, he slowly began to stir to alertness. He stretched and yawned, a bit of discomfort in his sides still present but it wasn't anything he couldn't bear. With a playful '_good morning_' from his companion and some slight teasing about his sleeping habits, he was up and strapping on his gear before heading out the door.

At the bottom of the staircase stood an impatient looking Ashei, her arms folded across her chest and her foot tapping lightly on the floor.

"Took you long enough," she stated flatly.

He didn't understand. Hadn't she said first thing in the morning? First thing in the morning, to him, meant when the sun came up – that was even what everyone referred to it as back on the ranch seeing as how he had to get up early in order to let the goats out to graze – and as he peered out the window to his side, he could only see half of the sun over the horizon.

"I'm sorry?" he said confusedly, deciding it was better to simply apologize rather than argue; he never had been the arguing type, anyway.

She sighed, "It's fine. I've already got my horse saddled up and ready to go. Am I gonna have to wait for you to go down to the castle stables and borrow a steed?"

"No," he shook his head, "I have my own horse."

"Oh," she said at last, slightly surprised as horses were very expensive and usually only the wealthy had one to call their own, "Well… where is it?"

"She's outside town. By the southern gate."

Ashei raised an eyebrow, "You mean you don't keep your horse in the stables? She'll run away, yeah?"

"Nope," he shook his head again, "She waits for me wherever I leave her. I mean, sometimes she'll venture off a little bit for food or drink, but she generally stays in the same area."

The girl stared at him blankly, trying to spot a hint of sarcasm in his tone or in his expression; he _had_ to be joking. But, as they stood there in silence, she found not a trace of dishonesty.

"Huh," she said at last, "Well… let's get going then."

They exited the bar, travelling first to the stables to grab the mare that Ashei had arranged to borrow for the occasion, and then they headed out the southern gates of Hyrule Castle Town.

Waiting patiently at the end of the bridge was Epona, who Link greeted affectionately. Ashei was surprised that his mare had actually waited there for him, but she could instantly recognize the bond between the two and it warmed her heart. After they both mounted their steeds, they headed back through the town so as to get to the eastern side of the field without having to take the long way around through Lake Hylia. They emerged once again in the wide, open clearing and began their trek northward, towards Zora's Domain and eventually, Snowpeak Mountain.

Link would have much preferred to simply warp to the fish-peoples' watery home, cutting the trip down drastically, but that obviously became out of the question when Ashei had offered for him to join her. Besides, he didn't want her going alone, anyway, even if she was a fearsome fighter like she claimed; the fields were much more hostile than he was sure anyone really understood – he didn't want her to get hurt.

They travelled silently for quite some distance, their horses keeping pace with each other in a slow canter. The early morning held a crisp coldness to the air signaling the near end of autumn and the rapidly approaching winter months. The various trees that littered the field had very few leaves left on them, the bare branches displaying the change of seasons even more visibly. He remembered learning of his fate as the chosen hero near the end of spring; had it really been that long since then?

When the sun reached its zenith in the sky, the heat picked back up and the hero began to sweat. He dabbed his brow with the back of his gloved hand before turning to the young female riding alongside him.

"How long do you suppose it will take to get to the mountain?"

Ashei glanced over at him and then up at the sky as she thought, "We'll probably get there about… this time tomorrow. That is, if we don't stop."

His only response was a simple nod; he had no problem with travelling through the night.

She turned toward him, "Is that gonna be a problem?"

He looked over at her, wondering if that last inquiry was a serious one. She was smirking slightly, but she simply stared back at him, awaiting his answer.

"Of course not. Why would it be?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"Oh, I don't know…" she turned forward, "Just wondering if you're strong enough to keep up with me," she said with a simper.

He could feel the occupant of his shadow just dying to come out and give that girl a verbal lashing. Link simply chuckled, "Don't worry about me, I can handle myself."

"If you say so," Ashei added coyly.

It didn't take long for the cool winds of dusk to blow over the duo. The sun lowered in the sky and the moon quickly began its ascent. They carried on mostly silently, although the occasional fruitless conversation did take place here and there. When a familiar, but distant, sound entered the hero's Hylian ears, he stopped Epona in her tracks. Ashei noticed him stop and she, too, halted her mount. She looked at him impatiently, wondering what he was doing stopping all of a sudden.

"What's the hol-"

"Shh," Link said quietly, silencing her instantly.

She studied him confusedly, a very serious expression on his features as he remained facing forward. It was obvious that he was listening for something, what, though, she had no idea. He must be crazy, she thought; she couldn't hear a thing.

He heard the sounds distinctly; he knew them well – hoof beats, the drawing back of bowstrings, and the faint screeching of the blasted creatures associated with all of the above. It was far enough in the distance that Ashei couldn't pick it up – he could tell by the perplexed look on her face – but they were drawing ever nearer.

"Do you have your sword?"

Ashei looked at him like he was completely stupid, "Of course I do! You seriously think I would leave without it?"

He ignored her question, "Have you fought Bulblins before?"

She thought for a moment, "Those are the ugly green guys, yeah? I've only fought them in small groups, maybe two or thr- why are you asking this? Are we gonna be attacked or something?"

"Yes, I can hear them coming. Make sure you're focused and paying attention to all directions around you, the Bulblins love to distract you and then get you with an arrow when you least expect it," he explained.

She scoffed, "I know how to fight, okay? I'm not stupid."

He was taken aback, "I'm only trying to help. They've gotten me that way plenty of times and I was just trying to warn y-"

"Well thanks, but, no thanks. I know how to fight just fine. I don't need help from a hero _wannabe_, yeah?" she said as she dismounted her steed and drew her blade.

"Get back on your horse. They'll flank you with their warthogs, two to a mount, and you'll get overwhelmed on foot," he offered politely.

"I said I know how to fight!" she turned around to face him as she continued to yell, "I don't want or need your little _tips_! My father taught me the ways of war as if I was his son! Are you trying to tell me that he tau-"

In a flash, Link leapt from the saddle, ran up to a ranting Ashei, and grabbed the blunt side of a club that was mere inches from crushing the girl's skull. She flinched at the hero's sudden movement and just as she was about to yell at him for whatever it was he was doing, she turned around to see at least a dozen or more Bulblins behind her. She gasped as she realized what had almost happened and she watched in shock for a moment as Link took the group by storm.

He turned the outstretched club back onto the creature that had swung it, bashing it harshly against its head. He withdrew the Master Sword and sliced cleanly into a monster to his side, another beside that one, and as he heard one preparing to attack him from behind, he flipped the hilt in his hand, turning the blade towards himself, and thrust it just to the left of his left hipbone, stabbing straight into the middle of the creature behind him.

He whirled around on his heel and cut through two more Bulblins before he noticed one in the distance - just out of Ashei's line of vision - preparing a projectile in her direction. Knowing that he couldn't make it over there in time, he threw his blade at the troll. The handle flipped over the metal time and time again, a loud ringing sounding as the weapon sliced through the air at the speed of light. Before the Bulblin could pull back the bowstring, the steel met its chest and ended the creature swiftly.

Ashei had watched the sword fly through the air and land with perfect precision into the flesh of the monster in awe; maybe this guy wasn't just some '_wannabe_.'

She watched him as he fought off the rest of the oncoming hoard with naught but his bare hands. He threw a left hook at one, a right elbow into the gut of another behind him, before dropping to his hands and landing a swooping kick into the legs of three of the ogres, knocking them all off their feet and onto the ground with a thud. He grabbed his bow from his pack and shot each of the Bulblins on the floor in rapid succession.

She could hardly take her eyes off of him; the way he fought was simply astonishing. His motions were perfectly fluid, flowing from one directly into the next as if he knew where an enemy was going to be before they did. His reaction time was almost non-existent; it took him merely a fraction of a second to counter the monsters' attacks with something much more effective. Most warriors, Ashei had noticed, were completely useless without their blade, but he could fight amazingly with or without it.

When more and more mobs of Bulblins could be seen riding up on their warthogs in the distance, however, she could tell that he would soon be overwhelmed. She snapped back to reality, tightening her grip on the hilt of her blade and charging into the heat of the battle alongside Link.

With Ashei dispatching of the few creatures left beside them, Link aimed the tip of the arrow on his bowstring towards the oncoming masses. He drew back the string four times fast, sending projectiles flying into the riders of two advancing hogs. The Bulblins flew from the backs of their mounts, the mindless pigs running off wildly without anyone to control them. The rest of the nearing hoard wasn't even able to make it to the battle, Link dispatching of them all from a distance with his bow. He turned around to see Ashei finishing off the last of them as she kicked the now-dead carcass off of the end of her blade with a huff. She looked around in each direction, making sure that that was all of them.

Link pocketed his bow, "You're a good fighter."

She turned to him, "Me? You took down pretty much all of them by yourself, yeah?"

He shrugged his shoulders as if she spoke of something trivial, "I guess."

"You don't have to be so modest. Where'd you learn to fight like that?"

He paused to think, looking at the ground as he scratched the back of his neck, "Well, the basic swordplay Rusl taught me when I was younger, but mostly good battle skills can only be acquired through experience, really."

"Huh," she pondered aloud, "And here I was, thinking you were just some chump parading around as the ancient hero. You actually seem like you have what it takes after watching you there and hearing what everyone around town says about you."

She glanced around at the monsters they had slain before noticing that Link's blade was still embedded in one of the farther ones – the one he had thrown it at. She approached it and wrapped her right hand around its ornate hilt, but no matter how hard she tugged she was unable to lift it. She crouched down and examined it confusedly, squinting her eyes as she gazed upon the more intricate details. Its purple handle with its topaz gem, the perfectly brushed steel with the emblem of the three sacred triangles toward the base… she had seen this blade before.

"Link… this- is this the Master Sword?"

He walked over and hefted it effortlessly from the dead Bulblin before wiping down the blade with a clean cloth and sheathing it. He ignored her question at first, hoping she would forget about it or shrug it off to exhaustion, but when her gaze did not falter, he found himself forced to answer.

He nodded simply, "Yes."

She looked on in wonderment at how easily he lifted the sword when she hadn't even been able to make it budge. Even more amazing was that it looked so similar to the ancient blade she had heard of so many times in legends. This couldn't possibly be the same sword, could it? No, it had to be a replica – an amazingly well done replica.

When his answer began to sink into her mind, she shook her head slowly as she stood up, "No… that can't be. Only the Hero of Time was able to draw the Master Sword, and it rests today in its pedestal, yeah? Where did you find such an amazing copy? Did you make it yourself?" she questioned curiously.

"It's not a copy, it's the real thing," he said frankly.

She furrowed her brow, "It can't be…" she replied quickly, but the longer they solely stared at one another in silence, the more she believed him; she didn't even know why – perhaps it was the sincerity in his cobalt eyes.

"Farore… You're serious?"

He simply nodded.

She huffed with a smirk, glancing at the ground before looking back up at him, "Amazing. I don't even know how or why, but… for some reason I believe you," she laughed, "Shad is going to flip, yeah?"

Link chuckled anxiously.

"Well, let's get back on the road," she began as she headed back towards the horses, "You can tell me all about it on the way, yeah?"

He smiled nervously, "Yeah."

* * *

_**Deciding against maintaining the status quo.**_


	33. Frostbite

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 11/14/13 – Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 33: Frostbite

**.:.**

"So, you're telling me, a… _'light spirit'_… just up and told you that you were the hero chosen by the Goddesses out of the blue?" Ashei asked, turning towards the man in question as their mounts travelled onwards in time with one another.

"Well," Link thought on it – that wasn't _exactly_ how it went down, but he would leave it at that for the sake of simplicity, "That's pretty much it, yeah."

The girl scoffed, "Your story is totally crazy, and half of it doesn't even match up, but I find myself believing you for some reason," she stared him down, partially hoping to see him crack under the pressure and admit that it had all been a joke, but no such thing occurred. "And I'm not stupid," she was quick to add after the momentary silence, "I can pick out fakes from a mile away, yeah? But… I don't know why, I just believe you."

Link smiled, "I'm glad you do, because it's all the truth."

Ashei half-smiled and turned to face forward. He had told her the story of when the light spirit, Faron, relayed to him that he was the chosen hero. The young resistance member wasn't so sure she even _believed_ in light spirits, but she believed every word of his story. There was something about the sincerity in his eyes and the calm, collected tone in his voice that just forced her to trust him. Of course, he had left out some of the details; he couldn't very well tell her that there was a parallel realm to this one called the Twilight Realm and that he had an imp following him in his shadow and that he could also change into a wolf, now, could he? No, he decided it was best to leave all that out.

They had travelled through the night without stopping since the earlier skirmish with the Bulblins. It had been filled with much talking, a few questions, and lots of twisting specifics so that the whole story didn't sound completely insane – he knew she was already having a hard time simply believing that he was the hero, so he figured he might as well only give her the most important (and most believable) parts of it.

The sun soon rose from the horizon. Vibrant oranges, yellows, and reds danced across the open sky, signaling the start of a new day.

"So, you just believed what it said?" Ashei suddenly started up conversation again after there had been a number of prolonged moments of silence.

Link turned to her, "What?"

"What the light spirit said about you being the hero. You just believed it without a second thought?"

"Of course I did," the more he thought on her question, the sillier it sounded in his mind, "I think the simple fact that a _light spirit_ was speaking with me was enough cause for me to believe anything it could have told me."

She didn't seem entirely convinced as she shrugged her shoulders, "You sure it wasn't… I dunno, joking?"

He furrowed his brow, "Uh… I don't think deities are allowed to joke about things like that."

She laughed as she realized how dumb her question must have sounded to him, "I know, I know. You're right. I just can't help but have my doubts, yeah? To learn that there's an actual hero alive during my time is absolutely incredible. But, then to learn that that hero is someone I've crossed paths with? Now that's just insane to think about."

He could see where she was coming from; he hardly thought of himself as the hero as it was. Whenever the deities, the sages, or anyone, really, would mention a task fit only for a hero, Link's first reaction most times was something along the lines of, '_okay, I suppose my next task is finding the hero_.' Then, seconds later, the reality that said hero was, in fact, _him_ would sink in.

"Well, then don't think of me that way."

"What? Why? Don't you want everyone to know you're the hero?"

He shook his head plainly, "No. I don't want to be treated differently simply because of this… _title_ that I haven't quite lived up to yet. I'm just a regular person, like you. So… just think of me like that instead."

Once again, she found herself taken aback at his response; not many people in this day and age were so humble and selfless.

She found herself at a loss for words, and all she could come up with to say was, "…Okay."

They travelled mutely for some time after that, both of them deep in thought most likely on different matters entirely. Link found himself worrying over how he was to go about locating the mirror shards, but Ilia also kept surfacing to the forefront of his thoughts. She was almost always on his mind, whether it was fretting over her wellbeing, stashing things away in memory to tell her about later, or missing the sound of her voice and the way the sunlight caught her hair. He closed his eyes and exhaled as he wished so desperately that he could hear her lecture him about the way in which he took care of his horse again… even if it was only one more time.

Ashei spent the remainder of the wordless ride debating within herself if this person was one she should trust or not. She went over his every word again and again, trying to decide if it all made sense enough to be legitimate. She digressed; she would have to ask Shad what he thought when she got back to the bar – he would be able to tell based on the facts if Link was telling the truth or not.

She had heard many good things about him from various townsfolk, not to mention from her dear friend Telma and she also knew that Rusl considered Link as his son. He even had the legendary blade of the hero, even though she was still trying to decide if she thought that it was real or not as well. The more she thought about all the good things he had going for him, the more she began to wonder why there was even an ounce of doubt in her mind in the first place.

She realized it was simply the fact that meeting a possibly-one-day-legendary hero in the flesh was beyond mind boggling. In her heart, she believed him; her heart and soul told her that he was genuine beyond a shadow of a doubt. It was the practical, logical side of her brain telling her that this was untrue – unfathomable, even. Perhaps it was just that, but that didn't mean it wasn't factual, either.

She looked over at the man she was debating about in her mind. The sun had finally become fully visible from beyond the tops of the mountains in the far distance, its rays shining brightly behind him and casting a warm glow on his tanned skin. He stared straight ahead, a calm, yet determined, look upon his young features. He appeared as if he was deep in thought just like she was – she wondered what it was he was thinking about.

There was something that had been on her mind since the night prior, and she decided now was as good a time as any to ask.

"What are you going to Snowpeak for?"

He glanced over at her and then straight forward again as he quickly came up with a response, "I've heard word from a lot of people that something evil is afoot there."

"So… you just wait around for '_word from people_' about where evil is and head there? I don't understand."

He sighed; she was not as gullible and easy to please as he had thought, "No… Yes. Well… no. No, that's not it exactly," he stammered, unable to find a fitting and believable response.

Her brow raised in suspicion, "Then?"

"You won't believe me if I told you."

"Enough with that crap, alright? If you don't want to tell me, fine, but stop using the excuse that I won't believe you. I've believed everything you've told me so far, yeah?"

He scoffed quietly as he thought to himself, '_You don't know the half of it_.'

"Have you, though?" he asked plainly, noticing the not-entirely-trusting look in her eyes, "I can tell you haven't entirely, but that's alright, really. I know it's a lot to grasp."

"No, it's-," she sighed; she hated how he knew exactly how she really felt, "I'm trying to believe you, yeah? I mean, I do for the most part, I just have questions. Wouldn't you?"

"…Yes."

"So… Will you tell me why you're going to Snowpeak?"

He looked ahead briefly before lowering his gaze to that of the light-colored mane of his mare. He supposed he could tell her about the sages and how they insisted he go to the snowy mountain, but he still knew he couldn't tell her about the Mirror of Twilight.

"Have you heard of the ancient sages?"

She scoffed, "Of course I have."

"Do you believe in them?"

"Without a doubt. It was because of them aiding the Hero of Time that Ganon was sealed in the Sacred Realm. Everyone knows that story, yeah?"

"Would you believe me if I told you I spoke to them?"

She stared at him a moment, wondering if he was serious. Not a hint of deceit could be found in his sapphire eyes, and before she even realized her lips were parted, she heard her own voice say, "I would."

He hid his surprise behind a smile, "Well, the sages spoke to me in the desert and told me I was to vanquish evil on a snowy mountain, in an ancient grove, and somewhere in the heavens. So that's why I'm going to Snowpeak."

She nodded slowly, trying to take in everything she'd been told, "Those are pretty vague places, yeah? How do you know where you're supposed to go? Or even what you're supposed to do when you get there?"

"I just take it one step at a time; the evil usually presents itself. That's all I can do, really."

"Oh, Farore…" she scoffed before flashing him a smirk, "I actually believe you."

He smiled in return and the remainder of their trip was silent, leaving each of them to their own thoughts. By the time the sun reached the highest point in the sky, they arrived at Upper Zora's River. They left their mounts there seeing as the road ahead was unsuited for horses. Link simply left Epona free to roam but Ashei had to tie her steed to a nearby post so that it would not run off. They continued on until they were in Zora's Domain. The watery home had such a soothing air about it that could almost immediately calm even the most nervous of people.

Ashei pointed to the entrance to the snowy mountain and they made their way there, the temperature drastically decreasing the closer they got. The Zora people spoke to them of a beast that had recently been coming into their province and eating their fish. One of them described the monster's appearance as a huge giant as white as the snow and with a strange contraption upon its head. The duo then travelled through a small cave that eventually opened up to the base of Snowpeak Mountain.

As soon as they emerged, neither of them could see ten feet in front of them due to the raging blizzard that was instantly surrounding them. Ashei wrapped her arms around her middle in an attempt to warm herself. Link pressed his fists to his lips and blew warm air from his lungs upon his already frozen knuckles.

"It's… m-much colder than last time I was h-here," Ashei noted with a shiver.

Link nodded; he couldn't imagine anything living on this mountain if it was always this temperature.

"We should t-turn back," she muttered.

"Go ahead," he answered quickly, tugging at the collar of his white undershirt in an attempt to cover more of his neck.

She furrowed her brow, "W-What do you mean '_go ahead_?' You can't even see through this bl-blizzard, yeah? You don't honestly mean to k-keep going, do you?"

He nodded sternly, "Yes. Head back to where it's safe… and w-warm. I'll take it from here."

"You can't be serious!" she shouted, a look of sheer bewilderment on her feminine features, "You'll die out here! Just because you've been t-told you're a hero doesn't mean you're invincible, don't you g-get that? Don't be an idiot!"

He turned to her and stared into her eyes with all the seriousness in the world, "I'll be fine, alright? I kn-know what I'm doing."

She sighed, "There's no convincing you otherwise, i-is there?"

He shook his head plainly, a small smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth all the while.

"Fine," she gave in, "But I better see you back at the bar s-soon so I know you didn't get yourself k-killed, you understand?"

"I'll b-be there. S-Soon as I can."

She nodded and after giving the hero a firm clap on his shoulder, she took off down the tunnel back to Zora's Domain. He turned to face the mountain, determination in his eyes as he tried to make out the summit through the thick layer of snow in the air.

"Are you sure you don't wanna wait until the storm dies down a bit?" he could hear his shadow ask.

"I don't think it will die down, M-Midna. It's now or never."

She sighed as she came into view. She was shivering now that the cold wind was upon her own skin, "Let's hurry up then. It's so cold!"

He nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly with that statement. He descended the small hill before him and trekked only a few feet before summoning his partner out of the shadows again.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I th-think I'm going to need to be a w-wolf. Maybe I'll be able to see through this s-storm better."

She nodded, said, "Good idea," and revealed the shadow crystal.

She placed the evil object on the hero's forehead and after a few moments of discomfort, he found himself on all fours once again. He should have done this in the first place, he thought; not only was he able to see through the blizzard, but he was also much warmer with the thick layer of fur covering his canine body.

They first crossed a freezing lake, his paws narrowly slipping off the edge of the icebergs multiple times. Once they were safely on the other side, he began running as fast as his legs could take him. The cold wind beat harshly across his face and body; his fast pace combined with that of the blizzard whipping around them was most unpleasant. Midna crouched down low atop her wolf's back in an attempt to warm herself with his body heat and also to protect herself from the harsh winds. He could feel her small form shivering, only fueling his adrenaline to get this over with even quicker.

He ran against the wind for some time, his legs beginning to tire as the trek was mostly uphill. The higher they climbed the more enemies they encountered. At first, Link was sure there wouldn't be any creatures in such a cold climate, but he was proven wrong as they started coming across icy bats and white wolves. The latter had come as a startling surprise to the hero, causing him to stumble backwards in shock and nearly giving him a heart attack – he hadn't seen it coming at all. The wolves were the very color of the snow that surrounded them; they blended into the terrain, the mountainside, even the snow-filled sky. All that Link could make out of them before they struck was their glowing eyes and the trail of kicked up snow behind their racing paws.

As they were making their way over a narrow pass, a sudden surprise attack from one of the snowy canines caught Link off guard. The wolf plowed into the hero's side, causing him to practically fall off the edge of the cliff, but he caught himself seconds before that could happen. He quickly got back on his feet and met the beast with a frightening growl. What he saw when he whirled around, however, was not the single creature that had attacked him, but a pack of them. He didn't show surprise or hesitation, he continued sneering, glancing between each of the wolves in turn.

"_We know what you are."_

Its mouth didn't move, it couldn't be heard aloud, but the words of the canine echoed in Link's mind. It was speaking with him.

"_And what is that?"_ Link said back upon instinct; he didn't even have to think on how to respond to the enemy, it was like a second nature to him somehow.

The two circled one another, lips snarled and teeth glaring in the evening sun.

"_You are an outsider. You try to disguise yourself as one of us but we are not so easily fooled."_

Had Link been human, he would have furrowed his brow in perplexity. Did these wolves think of him as a threat?

"_It was not my intention to pretend to be one of your own. I am simply passing through."_

The enemy barked and growled loudly as it inched closer, _"Lies! You have come into our domain and murdered our kind! That is not simply passing through."_

"_Your kind attacked _me_! I was defending myse-"_

"_We know what it is that you truly are! Although your appearance could fool me your smell could not. That horrid stench of human could be sniffed out miles away! We do not suffer your kind here."_

With that, the pack inched closer, teeth bared all the while. He didn't know if Midna could hear their conversation or not, but he could feel her tension as she tightened her grip on the fur of his back.

"_Humans come to our mountain, cut down our trees, and kill us for sport," _the alpha went on as the rest closed in on the hero, _"I don't know what sorcery you humans have conjured that allows you to look like us and speak like us, but the attempt is futile. Now, we will hunt you just as you have hunted us."_

Link's eyes went wide, but before he could make a move or utter a word in defense, one of the wolves lunged at him from behind and before long, they were all upon him. He was aware of Midna's presence leaving his back, and he could suddenly feel teeth sinking into his flesh, claws digging into his fur, and the force of paws and tails whipping across his body. He fought back, gnawing on the leg of one and scratching harshly at the face of another. They whimpered in pain and scurried off, but he was still surrounded. He was painfully aware of the leader of the pack clawing and biting at his ears and his skull, dangerously close to where the evil crystal was embedded in his coat. He could hear the beast growling as it bit down punitively. Link nipped in his direction, but found himself with a mouthful of snow instead.

"Get off him you stupid dogs!" Midna yelled from the sidelines as she began grasping the wolves in her hair-hand and tossing them through the snow.

Her words were unheard by the hero; the only thing he was aware of was the agonizing biting at his head. He tried to pry himself free, but the rest of the pack stood above him, holding him down. He tried to reach his paw up and strike the canine at his cranium, but the lesser wolves saw to that as well. The weight on top of him was beginning to diminish as his partner grabbed the beasts that were holding him down and threw them mercilessly in every which direction.

When only a few remained on top of him, he was strong enough to force them off with a whip of his tail and a lash from his claws. When he stood on all fours and yanked himself free of the grip the largest wolf had on his head, however, something vital was lost to him. When the hero and the alpha wolf disconnected, the twilight crystal used to keep Link as a wolf was torn from his flesh by the mouth of the enemy. With the dark power between the beast's jaws, a surge of pain suddenly coursed throughout the canine's body and it yelped loudly before quickly ejecting the foreign object from its mouth. The gem soared off into the distance, through the snow and into somewhere unknown.

Link suddenly found himself back in his true form, crumpled on his hands and knees on the snow. He saw the wolf that had lead the attack on him merely feet in front of him, obviously suffering. It stared at him menacingly, its eyes narrowed in the same way as when it had been speaking to him previously. He heard not a single word, but after a few moments, the wolf turned and staggered off until he could no longer see it through the blizzard.

Now that he had naught but his human skin, he was beyond freezing. He lips quaked from the cold and his head pounded from the encounter. He could feel small drops of blood running down his scalp, but the pain of his head was nothing in comparison to the negative temperature of the climate around him.

"It said, '_this isn't over_,'" Midna stated as she hovered over to her hero quivering in the snow.

Link nodded, not truly caring about the canine at the moment when he had just lost his only means of becoming a wolf and warping. "The sh-shadow crystal," he shivered, "It's gone."

Midna sighed and hung her head, trying to think of what to do for a moment before saying, "You find some shelter and get warm. I'll go look for it."

He looked up at her confusedly, "You? N-No. We'll go together."

"Link, you're freezing and you can't see ten feet in front of you. I'd rather you not turn into an icicle and leave me out here alone," she smirked, "If I just stay in the shadows, I won't get cold."

He shook his head without even a second thought, "No, Midna. I w-won't let you go out there by yourself. What if you're at-t-tacked? No, I c-couldn't live with myself."

"What creature would attack a shadow? Nothing will even be able to see me. You know I have to do this," she stared at him seriously.

He exhaled, a large puff of visible air escaping his lips in a cloud, "I r-really don't like this."

"Little wolf scared of being alone?" she teased with a smile as she leaned in closer, trying to add a bit of lightness to the situation.

It didn't work.

He frowned, "What if you get lost?"

She huffed at his stubbornness, "I won't, okay? I'll go look for it and come right back, even if I don't find it, alright?" she offered, hoping that that would be a suitable compromise.

He sighed, "Fine."

"Alright. Stay behind that rock," she said as she pointed to a large boulder along the side of the cliff wall, "And don't you get all 'hero-y' and come looking for me, okay? If you do that then I won't be able to find you when I come back and then I really _will_ get lost."

"Okay," he said rather dismally.

"Promise me you won't move."

He paused, seriously considering taking it all back. When he saw the level of determination in her eyes, though, all he could do was exhale and say, "I p-promise."

She nodded and looked him once over before quickly whirling around and speeding off in the direction the lost object had flown. Link watched from his place beside that rock as the imp floated off. He kept his eyes on her small form until she could no longer be seen beyond the curtain of snow.

* * *

_**To literally know what it feels like to be frozen.**_

* * *

**A/N:** **One of my reviewers asked why I don't have Link using fairies or potions in my story.** It's a great question, so I'm going to answer it for everyone in case anyone else was wondering the same thing. I really strive to make this as realistic as possible. I know that's not 100% possible because of the inescapable use of magic (like his weightless pouch etc.) and things like that, but things that I _can_ make life-like, I choose to do so. Now, that doesn't mean I'm never going to use fairies or potions and that's not to say they don't exist in my story (because if you remember, I had Renado give Link both an antidote-like potion and a sleeping potion back in Chapter 22), it just means that I don't particularly like the idea of Link being wounded in battle and being able to bring out a fairy that restores him to perfect health. Not only do I not like it because it isn't realistic, but I also think it would make his journey far too easy.


	34. Unexpected Warmth

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 11/14/13 – Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 34: Unexpected Warmth

**.:.**

In those last moments that he had been able to see the small form of his companion hovering off into the unknown, he had been filled to the brim with anxiety.

He didn't want to let her leave on her own; he didn't want her to be all by herself out in the wilderness, and in truth, he didn't want to be left alone either. More important than that, though, was the fact that something could happen to her, or she could get lost. He prayed to the Goddesses that she would be able to find the lost trinket with haste and return to him safely. If anything was to happen to her while he was doing nothing but sitting around, he would never be able to forgive himself – _never_.

Dusk had already been upon them when they parted, the black veil of nightfall cloaking the mountain soon after. With the absence of the sun, the already freezing temperature began to drop even more. Now that it was dark, his worry for his partner tripled in intensity. The thick storm clouds overhead blocked the light from the moon completely, the white color of the snow beneath him being the only thing contrasting to the pitch blackness that surrounded him. He could see nothing beyond a mere few feet; it was simply nothingness.

Snowflakes whipped across his unprotected side harshly, the blizzard ever raging upon the peak. Link sat with his legs straight out in front of him, the large boulder that Midna had told him to stick to against his left shoulder, and his back leaned against the side of the mountain, leaving his right side and his front open to the ferocious winds. He pressed his cupped hands to his purpling lips in an attempt to warm the tips of his exposed fingers. The cold was unbearable, and he found himself unable to stop his body from shivering violently.

He could feel the snow seeping through his every layer, only causing him to freeze further. His feet sloshed around in his boots, his legs were completely soaked as they were only covered by his thin trousers, and his chainmail along with the sword and shield on his back jingled with the constant vibrations of his body. When he felt something dripping down his neck and behind his ear, he reached up a quivering hand and touched the location. He held that same hand back in front of his face to examine it, and was bitterly reminded of the nasty biting he had taken to his head from that wolf. The blood on his fingertips indicated that the alpha had not entirely failed in its endeavor when it had attacked him. He was left with some nasty puncture wounds on the right side of his head along with his right ear. It was nothing more than a dull stinging sensation; it was simple enough for him to ignore – the cold, however, was not.

As the night dragged on slowly, his fear for Midna grew and grew. What was taking her so long? She had said that she would come right back even if she was unable to find the crystal right away. He hoped it was just her stubbornness that was keeping her from him, and that she was still desperately searching for the missing item.

A close noise immediately drew the hero from his thoughts. The light crunching sound of a footstep on the snow could be heard only feet away, but the incredible amount of darkness around him prevented him from seeing what it was that was approaching. He sat up straight and alert, ready to attack whatever it was that hid in the shadows. Only seconds later, another soft crunch was heard, and in the same instant, a pair of brightly glowing eyes could be seen in the void. Those bright, red orbs were the only part of the beast that Link could see, and he immediately jumped to his feet and drew his sword.

As soon as he was standing with his blade at the ready, another set of eyes showed themselves not far from the first, and then another pair, and another, and another. When a loud snarling could be heard from above and behind him, he turned only his head in that direction, and what he saw was the alpha wolf standing tall on the low plateau that he had been resting his back against previously.

He was surrounded.

He knew that if the canine was trying to speak with him, he could not hear it, and he wasn't entirely sure if it could understand him if he spoke, but he decided to try nonetheless.

"I do not wish to kill you. Please, take your pack and leave me be."

It growled loudly in response, its glowing eyes narrowing as it did so. Link noticed it crouching down in preparation to leap down upon him, but he knew that if the wolf was to do that, it would be the end of it as that move would give Link the advantage.

"I don't want to have to kill you, but if you come at me, it will be your life you forfeit."

At those words, the alpha raised its head high and howled loudly, the surrounding wolves following suit, and then it suddenly leapt from its perch and descended upon the hero. Link pointed his sword skyward, and just as he knew it would, as the wolf fell it was impaled upon the Master Sword. A short whimper was all the enemy gave before it passed. He swung his sword in the direction of the lesser wolves, their leader's body tumbling off the steel and towards them lifeless. The rest of the pack stared for a moment, seemingly in disbelief that their alpha was just killed before their eyes. Leaderless, they all quickly turned around and ran away in fear.

Link sighed as he sheathed his blade, truly disheartened by the kill. He tried to put it in his head that it was unavoidable, but he still preferred to avoid killing when it was at all possible, especially when it was an innocent creature that was only trying to protect its home and its pack.

When he was sure that the threat was gone, he sat back down in his previous position. The cold, dark night seemed to go on and on mercilessly. He struggled to stay awake as the significantly low temperature fought off his consciousness. After hours of battling with the climate through the coldest hours of the night, he found nature to be the victor. The freezing, frigid hands of hypothermia choked him into nothingness, and he was soon gone from the world.

Before long, the sun shone over the mountain's summit and made its way to Link, as did a certain little imp. The blizzard was still present, as it had been consistently since they first arrived at Snowpeak, but it seemed less intense on this particular morning. Midna spotted her companion's form from a distance and floated over to him hurriedly.

"You stayed right where I left you! What a good little wolf!" she teased with a smile.

Her grin, however, rapidly turned to a frown when he gave her no response.

"Link?" she chimed, waving a small hand in front of his face.

Still nothing.

When her brain caught up with her vision, she instantly panicked – he looked dead. He was still sitting upright in the same position he had been throughout the long night; he looked like a porcelain doll sitting in its place upon a shelf. His skin was almost as pale as the snow around him, his lips were a dark shade of blue, and the bangs that covered his forehead were lined with a layer of frost. In contrast to his ghost-white complexion, his extremities were beet red – his nose, ears, and fingertips stuck out against his pale skin like a sore thumb. The blood that had been running down the side of his head had frozen into a solid crimson line trailing from underneath his green cap to beneath his tunic.

In her frantic state, she hadn't known what to do at first; he honestly looked like a corpse long gone from the realm of the living. She had been gone far too long, she realized, and she was immediately struck with a pang of guilt.

"Oh, Link… I'm so sorry…" she whispered as she let her shadowy figure sink down beside his motionless one. She reached over and grabbed his ice-cold hand. Snow was sprinkled atop his entire body in a thin blanket. A thicker layer, almost icy, covered his bare fingertips, and she wiped it all off gently before rubbing his fingers in her tiny hands, hoping it would help to warm them up.

She could feel his soft pulse beating beneath the skin on his wrist, and she thanked the Goddesses that he was alive, but she didn't know what to do for him. If he stayed unconscious he would likely drift off into a place where she could no longer reach him, and she wouldn't let that happen.

"Link?" she called again, once more hovering off the ground in order to be at eye level with him, "Link, wake up."

She shook him gently, doing nothing but causing his head to loll to the side. Frantic, she then smacked her palms lightly on his cheeks as she continuously called his name. After a few jolts to his face from the imp, he moaned nearly inaudibly and began blinking his eyes open slowly. It had been a difficult task at first, seeing as tiny little icicles had formed on his eyelashes and nearly welded them together. When he finally slid his eyes open all the way and looked at Midna who was in front of him, her state of panic only worsened. His pupils were dilated to the point where the deep, sapphire color of his irises was nothing but a miniscule ring around the enlarged, black centers.

"Link," her voice rang like bells in his ears, "Are you okay?"

He stared at her blankly for a moment, not entirely sure what was going on. When his mind caught up with him, he instantly began shivering, but he also quickly recognized who it was that was calling his name.

"M-M-Midna…?"

She nodded, "Yes, it's me. You're okay now."

He furrowed his brow both in confusion and in utter discomfort, "Mmm-m I s-seeing things?"

"No," she shook her head, getting closer to him so he could feel that she was really there, "You're not seeing things, I'm here."

"Mmm…" he grumbled as he closed his eyes and pressed himself further into the corner of the cliff face and the boulder he was leaning against.

"Don't close your eyes, Link. Look at me, okay?" she said as she placed her hands on his cheeks and gently lifted his face to meet her's.

He opened his eyes a slit, "Y-You… You were gone - why… W-Why didn't you come r-right back?"

Another stab in her heart.

"I'm sorry, Link. I just… I didn't want to come back without the crystal and let you down."

He looked confused, but said nothing.

"You kept your promise; you stayed right here the whole time… And I couldn't even keep mine to you of coming right back," she sighed, "Some _partner_."

He still held that look of perplexity on his pale features, but was wordless.

She furrowed her brow, "What is it, Link?"

"Where…" he said the word so slowly it was as if he had forgotten how to say it, "Where…?"

"Um…" now she was confused, "We're on Snowpeak, Link… Are you okay?"

He looked down at his frostbitten fingers, barely able to move them, "I… I c-can't… can't feel. Just… cold…"

He closed his eyes again and leaned his head back, but Midna calling his name forced his eyelids open again.

"Just keep talking to me, okay?" her voice was beginning to shake now as well, the worry and fear gripping bitterly at her throat, "What happened while I was gone? Anything?"

He paused, trying to think on the events of the night prior, but found himself coming up blank and shook his head, "Can't rem-m-member."

"That's okay," she responded quickly and nervously, "Just tell me about anything – anything at all."

He ignored her words when another distinct drizzling feeling swept past his ear. Had he been in a normal state of mind, he would have remembered that his head had been bleeding, but seeing as he was currently lost to most things, he reached his freezing hand behind his head and held it in place for a moment. Due to the numbness in his fingers and most of his hand, he wasn't able to feel the wetness. But when he put his hand in front of his face and saw his fingertips and the palm of his glove covered in blood, his brain shutdown. His eyelids drooped shut yet again and his body went slack, his upper half toppling over into the snow.

"Link!" Midna screeched as she hastened to him.

She, too, had seen the blood on his hand and she quickly lifted his cap in order to better assess the damage. There were multiple small puncture wounds on his scalp, behind his ear, and on the tip of his ear. It wasn't much, and it paled in significance to other injuries he had endured thus far, but she knew it could be a problem if she didn't bandage it up.

She dove into his knapsack and speedily pulled out some spare gauze that Renado had gotten into the habit of leaving in the hero's pack each time Link headed out again. She wound the cloth around his head and his ear a few times, deciding against using it all up in case worse came to worst and he was to get injured again before they could restock. She cut the gauze with her teeth and tied it off at the end before putting the bandaging back into his pouch and gently placing his slightly bloodied cap back on his head.

She called his name over and over again. She shook him gently, and then more urgently. No matter what she did, he did not come to. Feeling desperate, she suddenly flew up into the air as high as she could and looked in every possible direction, hoping beyond hope that she could see anyone or anything that could help them. From her vantage point she couldn't see much through the snow, but she could make out various bats and things amongst the trees. When she looked to the north, however, she spotted a giant, white beast heading in their direction. She dove back down to the earth and resumed her attempts at waking her hero, now in fear that he would get devoured by a monster.

He did not wake, no matter what she did, and the massive creature soon emerged from the nearby tree line. Midna quickly hid in Link's shadow and prayed for the best.

"Uh! What is this? A little human, uh?" the beast said to itself upon sight of the unconscious form of the hero.

It approached him without apprehension and examined him curiously before scooping his motionless body into its great arms. The creature then turned around and changed direction, heading now back up the mountain. Midna's fear quickly doubled – was this monster going to eat him? Oh, Goddesses…

The strange brute carried him quite a long distance, easily swatting away the bats and wolves that tried to attack them on their way. The way the beast held onto the hero with care confused Midna even more; was this bizarre creature actually trying to help? It truthfully didn't seem like a vicious fiend.

They made their way over hills, down valleys, and through a couple of small forests before an enormous building eventually came into view. The imp gaped from the shadows at this structure in the middle of the wilderness. It was a large, stone mansion with multiple wings and a tall, central tier peaking from the center. When the monster casually went right up to the front door and went inside, Midna was shocked that such a beautiful manor would be the home of a beast. Or maybe, she thought again, this was once the home of a nice, wealthy family and the creature had eaten them. She gulped nervously at that thought.

The pristine exterior of the lodge, however, did not match that of the interior. The foyer was destroyed and dilapidated, with sections of the roof entirely missing and snow and ice piled up everywhere. The white brute bypassed the first room without a thought and entered the door straight ahead. This room was warm, Midna noticed happily, hoping that the nicer temperature would arouse her hero's senses.

"You have been gone long time, uh…" a smaller creature that looked similar to the one carrying Link spoke from beside the fireplace.

"Yeto sorry, Yeta. Yeto find little human freezing in snows, uh. Brought him to house to warm him up," the larger beast answered as he dropped Link's unmoving body on the floor closest to the hearth.

Midna gasped at the harshness of the fall, but from the shadows he seemed unscathed by it.

"Uh… Such a cute little human…"

"Yeto go make soup, uh. Make Yeta and little human feel better."

The petite one - Midna inferred to be 'Yeta' - smiled and nodded at the bigger one - 'Yeto' - and Yeto took off into another room with a large fish that he had also been carrying. Midna watched Link worriedly from his shadow as he lay on the rug in front of the fire. He was trembling something awful, and he didn't look much better in the least. The snow was melting off of him and leaving him in a cold puddle of icy water, not helping to warm him up in the slightest.

"Yeto…" the smaller one called.

The hefty creature came bounding in, "What Yeta need, uh?"

"Uh… little human is shivering. He needs blanket, uh…"

"Yeto get it right away!"

So… these _were _good guys after all, Midna thought to herself, it appeared as if they were actually going to help. She sighed in relief at that recognition. The more she looked at the strange beasts, she was reminded of what she was told yetis looked like. Could these truly be friendly yetis? She had never even been so sure she _believed_ in yetis before now.

After only a moment or two, Yeto came rushing back into the room with numerous blankets. He picked up one of the overturned sofas on the floor and set it sitting upright before picking up and placing the hero on top of it. He threw one blanket on top of Link's quivering form, and another, and another, until he was covered by four thick quilts. With his task complete, Yeto darted off into the other room yet again.

Midna examined him as best she could while remaining in the shadows. His pale face was the only thing she could see now that he was practically drowning in covers. He still quaked violently; she could hear his teeth chattering from her distance. She knew he couldn't possibly get warm while he remained in his wet clothes, but, unfortunately, she knew there was nothing she could do about that here.

An hour ticked away slowly, the minutes torturing Midna as all she could do was watch the young man shuddering on the couch. The sound of the nearby door being thrown open startled her as she turned in that direction to see Yeto standing in the threshold.

"Come, Yeta! Have taste of soup Yeto make!"

Yeta got up from her seat slowly, seemingly having difficulty with the simple task as she said, "Little human still not wake up, uh…"

"Human will be okay. Yeto give human some soup when he wake up, uh. Make him feel all better!"

And with that, the two creatures headed through the small door and into the adjacent chamber. With the room to themselves, Midna took the opportunity to come out of the shadows and try to coax Link to alertness.

"Link," she tried very gently at first.

His eyes moved slightly beneath closed lids.

"Link, wake up."

He gave a quiet moan, like a child would to a mother trying to wake them up to start their day.

"Come on, Link. Just let me know you're okay," she chimed quietly as she placed a dainty hand on his cheek in order to bring him to consciousness softly.

He stirred at her soothing touch, his senses coming back to him one by one. His eyelids began fluttering sluggishly and before long, he found himself looking at the face of an anxious friend.

She sighed, "Geez, Link, way to give me a heart attack," she smirked.

He blinked a few times slowly as he looked around the strange room, "Wha… What happened?" he looked down at himself, only being able to see a large mound of blankets and that was when his brain registered that his temperature was still severely low, "Why am I… s-so cold?"

She reached over and wrapped him more tightly in the covers, "We're on Snowpeak Mountain, Link. Do you remember that much?"

He glanced around again, trying to piece together various memories that he _did_ have, "I… don't know."

"What do you remember?"

He paused as he looked away from her for a moment, desperately trying to recollect anything, "I remember… wolves… and snow."

She nodded encouragingly, "Anything else?"

No, he thought to himself, there were so many blank spots in his recent memory. He remembered travelling with Ashei, and when he focused on that part of it he was able to picture the white peak. "We're on the mountain looking for a mirror shard…"

"Yes…"

Running through the blizzard suddenly popped into his mind; the bitterness of the stinging cold and the whipping of snowflakes across his body were prominent in his memory. He felt a dull throbbing in his head and added, "We fought off a pack of wolves…"

She nodded again, "Yes…"

Then, all he could remember was being alone. He didn't know why, but the only feeling he could recall was loneliness and uneasiness. "I… I sat by myself through the night… It was freezing and I didn't know where you were…"

She glanced down and away from his glare.

He went on, "All I remember is… freezing. Unbearable cold… That's all I remember."

She looked back up at him, "I'm sorry, Link."

"Where were you?" he asked quietly and plainly, trying to suppress his body's urge to shiver.

She suddenly snapped her fingers, and hovering just centimeters above her palm was an orange and black gem.

He furrowed his brow, confused as to why she would be showing him the shadow crystal out of the blue. That was when it all clicked into place in his mind. His eyes widened upon realization, "We lost this…" he mumbled quietly as if saying it to remind himself of the event, "You found it!"

She nodded and sent the crystal back into hiding, "That's why I was gone so long. I'm sorry I didn't come right back like I said, Link. I'm so sorry… I'm the reason you nearly froze to death out there by yourself."

He shook his head, although he was still slightly muddled, "Don't apologize, Midna, we have to have that crystal, so I'm grateful you found it. Anyway, you saved me and brought me here, didn't you? Wherever _here_ is…"

"No," she answered quickly, taking a moment to turn around and check the door behind her, "I couldn't get you to wake up and you were in no condition to transform. A giant yeti found you out in the snow and brought you here. It's like some weird… monster mansion."

His eyes narrowed in sheer confusion, "Wait… what?"

"I know it sounds crazy but it's true."

The sound of approaching voices followed by the quick turn of a door knob drew them from their conversation. Midna quickly hid in Link's shadow as the door was swung open and the two beasts came into the room. Yeta waddled over and sat in her usual seat beside the fire, and upon seeing Link's open eyes, she spoke up.

"Human is awake, uh…"

"Uh!" Yeto's voice boomed as he rushed to the side of the sofa and looked into the slightly concerned eyes of the hero, "Hello little human! Yeto find you freezing in snow and bring you to house! You warm, uh?"

Link thought for a moment before nodding slowly.

"Uh… But he still shivers…" Yeta pointed out.

"That's because little human need Yeto's soup!" he shouted excitedly as he turned and headed for the kitchen, continuing to talk all the way there and back, "Tasty soup will warm little human right up!"

He could be heard clanking around in the next room over as he went on about the ingredients in his concoction. Only moments later, the yeti came bursting through the door yet again, this time, however, he was holding a wooden bowl in his massive hands. He approached Link and slid a large hand under the hero's back. He then pushed him up into a seated position rather harshly and forced the bowl into his quivering hands.

"Drink soup!" Yeto ordered as he did the motion of tipping the bowl up with his own hands, gesturing for Link to do the same.

He looked down at the contents a bit apprehensively; could these monsters have put something in the soup to poison him? No, he thought, if they had wanted him dead they would have done it by now, or simply left him out in the wilderness to die of his own accord. These yetis, although strange, seemed nice enough. He took a whiff of the steaming contents and obliged the creature's request happily; he hadn't realized how hungry he truly was. The hot liquid travelling down his throat and into his stomach was one of the most amazing feelings after being stuck in that snowstorm – it warmed him from the inside out. He downed the meal in a mere few gulps, heaving a long exhale upon completion and wiping his mouth with his forearm.

Yeto grabbed the bowl as he said, "Uh! Whoa-ho! Little human hungry! You feel better after having Yeto's soup, uh?"

Link nodded gratefully, "Yes, thank you very much."

The large yeti shook his head, "Yeto like making others feel better! But Yeto confused… not see humans often, uh? Little human was freezing on mountain!"

"Yes… Thank you for saving me. I likely would have died if you hadn't come."

"No need, little human. Yeto likes guests. But… why human come to snows if human not like cold?"

Link glanced away for a moment, debating within himself whether or not he should just tell the truth. These were _yetis_ after all - beasts that live alone in the middle of nowhere - if he told them he was looking for a piece of a mirror it's not like they would really make bad use of that information. Besides, he didn't have to tell them what the mirror was actually _for_, and they probably wouldn't ask either.

He looked back up into the creature's large eyes, "I'm looking for a mirror. I was told I could find it on this mountain."

The yeti couple took on a radically different expression each.

"Husband find shiny mirror piece. It so pretty, uh… Pretty, pretty thing…" Yeta said strangely.

"Yeto find mirror. Same mirror you look for, uh? Wife tell you where it is. Yeto go make more soup," he stated quickly as he made haste for the neighboring room, leaving Yeta and Link to themselves.

"Husband not like mirror," Yeta began, breaking the silence that had befallen them for a few moments prior, "Many bad things happen since mirror… I get sick, bad monsters appear… bad things since mirror…"

The mirror must have evil effects on people and creatures just as the Fused Shadows did, Link thought, hating that realization. "Where is it now? If I may ask."

"We lock pretty thing in bedroom and hide key, uh…"

At least finding this mirror shard shouldn't be too difficult, he thought, it would essentially be handed to him since these yetis were so kind. "May I have the key?"

There was a glimmer of something in the female yeti's eyes in that moment that set Link off, but it was gone so quickly that he ignored it. "Fever makes head blurry, but… I think it in northwest wing of mansion…" she answered apprehensively, "I'm too sick to get up again, uh… Little human have to get key if he wants pretty mirror piece."

Link nodded as he whisked the covers from on top of him and got to his feet. It was then that he was reminded of how downright freezing he still was; his clothes were even still wet. He took a few minutes to warm himself a bit more in front of the flames raging inside of the stone fireplace before nodding to Yeta with a, "Be back as quick as I can," and heading out the opposite door.

* * *

_**Finding kindness in the unlikeliest of places.**_


	35. Bent Until Broken

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 12/5/13 – Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 35: Bent Until Broken

**.:.**

The warmth of the room he had woken up in was harshly yanked from under his feet as he stepped through the door that the yetis had instructed him to investigate first. An instant wave of freezing cold air blew over him, and it reminded him bitterly that his clothes were still damp and he hadn't taken the time to fully warm up.

He would be okay, he thought, finding this mirror piece seemed easy enough anyway – the yetis were just going to _hand_ it over to him, after all. He sighed in contentment as he thought of the idea of finally having a task placed before him that actually _didn't_ have the possibility of being the end of him.

Ice covered the floor in a clear sheet, making the trek through the passageway quite the chore. His feet skidded and glided across the slippery substance, the lack of traction on his boots making walking all the more difficult. He took his time so as to prevent falling, stepping one foot in front of the other practically in slow motion.

"Midna," Link called, bringing forth his partner from the shadows.

"What?" she asked as she emerged to hover beside him.

"So, what happened out there?" he asked as he continued walking sluggishly through the chamber.

She looked confused, "Uh… I told you, I couldn't wake you up and that big beast-man found you."

"No, I mean, when you were gone. You didn't… get hurt or anything, did you?"

"No," she shook her head, taking a moment to think back on the night prior, "The gem was just nearly impossible to find because it snowed over the top of it somewhat. Took me digging in all sorts of random places before I finally found it. Luckily it glowed a little, otherwise I don't think I would have ever been able to find it."

Link nodded, "Alright."

"What about you?"

He looked up at her with a perched brow.

"What happened to you while I was gone? I mean, you pretty much scared me to death when I saw the way you looked when I came back."

He shrugged his shoulders slightly, not coming up with much to say, "For most of the night I simply sat where you told me to. The pack of wolves tried to attack me, but I ended their leader and they took off. After that…" he paused to think, coming up blank, "After that I honestly can't remember a thing."

"Do you remember talking to me when I found you?"

His eyes narrowed, unsure if she was kidding or not, "I talked to you?"

"I'm guessing that means you don't remember."

"No, I'm afraid I don't."

"Well," she folded her arms over her chest, "You had me completely terrified. You looked so… dead… Don't you ever do that to me again!"

"I was just doing what you told me," he said with a playful smirk.

"I- well, you- …ugh!" she stammered, trying to muster a witty comeback, "Don't you have a brain of your own? You don't always have to do what I say!"

He couldn't help but chuckle, "I just can't win with you."

She then took on a more serious tone, "I mean it, though… I was really scared. Don't you make me feel that way again."

He stared at her blankly for a moment, intrigued by the level of sincerity in her voice. He nodded and smiled, genuinely touched by how much she had grown to care for him.

When he exited the door in the chilly room, he was then in a small, enclosed chamber with open windows that led to the outdoors. Noticing a miniscule hole in the wall towards the ground surrounded by a soft patch of snow, he knew what he had to do. He had Midna change him into a wolf and he burrowed his way underneath the stone wall until he found himself out in the uninhibited cold once again. The temperature was drastically freezing now that he was out in the harsh white winds. He found that he was in a courtyard of sorts in the rear exterior of the mansion, as walls surrounded him on all sides and yet, he could still see the sky above him.

A distinct growling at his left caught his attention and he immediately turned toward the disturbance. What he saw before him was a wolf, exactly like those he had encountered while climbing the mountain, but this one did not try to speak to him before attacking. It lunged through the air and as it was about to land on Link, he waited for the perfect moment and the correct alignment in which he opened his mouth and the assailant's jugular sank cleanly into the hero's sharp teeth. He twisted his neck and flicked the carcass from his maw with a snarl.

_Strange that that one didn't try to speak with me, _Link thought to himself.

"Maybe it was in a different pack?" Midna answered.

He forgot that his imp companion was able to hear him speaking in his mind while he was a wolf. He wondered, though, was she able to hear all of his thoughts, or only the ones he wanted her to hear?

"Don't dwell on it," she teased with a smile and a pat on his back before finishing, "Let's keep going."

Not finding much to do on the outside of the manor, he ventured back to the interior, only this time through a different door. Midna turned him back into a human, and he then found himself in another icy corridor with strange, one-eyed creatures that appeared to be made up of merely ice themselves. When he approached one, it blew a quick, harsh gust of freezing air his way, momentarily encasing him in a thin blanket of ice. His partner frantically leapt from his shadow and pounded on her frozen hero. The ice cracked beneath her tiny fists rather quickly and he was free in a matter of seconds.

"Wh-What in Hyr-r-rule?" he shivered, obviously confused at what had just happened.

Midna pressed her small hands against his chest in an attempt to push him away from the strange ice-creatures, "I would suggest keeping away from those guys."

His teeth chattered relentlessly as puffs of air escaped his lips in large, visible clouds, and to think… he thought he had been chilly before - being frozen in ice was the pinnacle of all possible levels of being cold.

Midna gave herself physical form for a few moments, huddling up close to Link in hopes that her own body heat would help to warm him up a bit before he continued on. He thanked her after a couple short minutes and she retreated back into the shadows. When he attempted to cross the room, he found avoiding the beasts to be almost impossible. Taking it nice and slow, he decided that his strategy was to run in for an attack and flip or roll away immediately. He did this for each of the creatures before they were all extinguished, and the way was open to him.

Through the following door, he came into a large, open corridor. Snowflakes grazed the floor, as they did in mostly all of the rooms in this strange mansion. Through a small, ornately designed window, he could see a chest in the adjacent room. According to what Yeta had told him, inside that chest should be the key to their bedroom which was where they were keeping the mirror piece. When he approached it, however, two tall, frozen monsters assaulted him. They flanked him with their spears of ice, and they proved to be quite powerful.

He noticed the gutsier of the two preparing the first strike and he quickly dodged just barely out of the way as it threw its weapon in his direction. When he heard it strike the ground, he turned and hefted the frosty weapon into his own hand. He pulled his arm back in preparation and hurled the beast's spear through the air before it landed in its icy chest, causing it to crumble to pieces.

The latter of the pair of monsters, having witnessed its friend's expiry, took on a more aggressive approach. It rushed the hero head on, attempting to impale him on its lance. Having noticed the creature's sloppy movements, Link already anticipated his enemy's next move. Just as the ice fiend lunged forward, Link rolled behind it and stabbed his blade through the monster's back. Before it could even register what it did wrong, it fell to pieces on the cold floor.

The hero sheathed his sword with a satisfied smirk before running up to the chest and opening it enthusiastically. What he found inside, however, was nothing short of a confusing disappointment.

"A pumpkin?" he asked, wondering if his eyes were deceiving him as he stared down at the gourd sitting nicely inside the wooden trunk.

"What?" Midna said as she came out of the shadows and followed Link's line of vision.

He lifted the pumpkin out of the chest and held it up so they both could see it.

"Ugh! That girl must have told us the wrong location. Let's go back and talk to her," Midna huffed, her hands on her hips in agitation.

Link eyed the strange treasure before placing it gently in his pouch. When he noticed his companion giving him a perplexed look, he said, "Might as well make use of what we found and eat it later."

Midna giggled and said, "Good thinking," before swooping back down into the darkness.

It didn't take long for them to make their way back to the cozy room with the fireplace in which Yeta resided. He sighed in relief when the warmth washed over his shivering body – he wished he could just curl up in front of the hearth and take a nap, never to go back out into that freezing cold weather again.

"Pumpkin, uh? But… why there?" Yeta asked confusedly after Link had explained to her that there had been naught but the orange foodstuff in the location she foretold. "Where I leave it…?" she mumbled to herself before taking a moment to think.

He watched the bizarre girl's face as she thought long and hard on where she could have left the key. There was something about the blank expression on her face that made Link feel as if she wasn't really trying to think of where the key was. It seemed as if she was stalling for some reason, but he had no idea why she would want to prolong the evil presence that was the Mirror of Twilight. As the uneasy thoughts filtered through his mind, he just as quickly dismissed them when her features changed to that of a small smile. She told the hero that the key was most likely in the northernmost corridor.

He gave her an appreciative nod and headed for a new door that he had not ventured through yet, thinking it would maybe let him avoid going back outside at all. That was, until the booming voice of Yeto stopped him in his tracks before he could even grab the handle.

"Pumpkin!"

Link froze, his eyes wide as he turned to see the large yeti suddenly standing behind him, having come in through another door.

"You have pumpkin, uh?" Yeto shouted excitedly. How in the world did he know he had a pumpkin?

Link nodded his head slowly, apprehensively.

"Give Yeto pumpkin!" He yelled again.

Link jumped slightly at his loud voice as he nervously reached into his pouch. The second the yeti was able to spot the tiniest glimmer of orange from the top of his pack, he suddenly shoved the hero with all his might. Link tumbled to the floor with an '_oomph_' as Yeto reached down and picked up the gourd that the young man had dropped during to the strike.

"Pumpkin, pumpkin, uh! Pumpkin perfect flavor for Yeto's soup! Come have a taste little human!" Yeto said as he hastily retreated back into the kitchen with the pumpkin.

Link simply lay on the floor for a moment, dumbfounded at what had just transpired. He got up after a minute and dusted himself off; the yeti could have simply _asked_ for the pumpkin, Link thought, he would have given it to him.

A twitch in his shadow gave him the indication that Midna was laughing.

"Uh… sorry about husband…" Yeta spoke up, grabbing the hero's attention as he turned to face her, "He get so crazy about soup."

"It's alright," Link responded with a smile before turning back towards the door he was just about to exit through previously.

"Good luck, uh…" the words of the female yeti halted him mid-motion as he was reaching for the doorknob.

The quiet, monotone sound to her voice not only confused him, but made him apprehensive of what was to come. There was something… dark and ominous in her tone. He cast a sideways glance over his shoulder, and for a second he could have sworn that her face had taken on a different appearance. When he whirled the rest of the way around at the shock of seeing such a drastic change, he found her to look just the same as she always had. Staring at her blankly for a moment, he began to question what it was he had just witnessed.

"Something wrong, little human?" Yeta asked, now seeming genuinely concerned and not one bit like she had sounded only seconds ago.

He swallowed hard and released the breath he hadn't realized he was holding in, "No, I'm fine," he answered with a shake of his head, "I'll be back when I get that key." With that, he didn't even take the time to let her reply; he hurried out of the door and shut it quickly behind him.

"What was that about?" Midna asked, making herself visible as soon as the door was completely closed.

"What?"

"The way you freaked out and stared at her like she was gonna eat you," she giggled slightly, covering her mouth with her hand in an attempt to hide the humor she found in his reaction.

He shook his head and put on a fake smile himself, deciding it had simply been his mind playing tricks on him back there, "It was nothing. I just thought I saw something is all."

Her gaze didn't falter for a solid minute as she stared him down, knowing him well enough to know that he wasn't being one hundred percent honest. When he didn't back down, she gave in, "Alright then. Let's go find out if she gave us the right location this time."

He made his way back into the harsh outdoor winds once again before making his way across the courtyard and into yet another arctic chamber. He wondered if the yetis truly lived in such conditions or if they simply left most of the rooms of the mansion to the elements and only claimed one of the wings to actually reside in. He had only seen two of the rooms actually being _livable_ at all, so he guessed that the strange couple only stayed within that vicinity – as well as wherever their aforementioned bedroom was located.

At his current location, large walls and boulders of ice blocked his way forward. To his luck, he came across both a working cannon and a cannonball. After taking a few minutes to figure out how it worked, he loaded it up, aimed it towards the obstacle, and blasted it to pieces, opening the path for him.

When he stepped through the door that had just been revealed to him, he came into a chamber that both stunned and perplexed him. The majority of the ground was missing and parts of the floor that were still intact were covered in a sheet of ice. He approached the edge of the only stable patch of flooring and looked down; there was no visible bottom, and he knew he didn't want to find out just how long the drop was. He kicked a small pebble that had been sitting along the edge into the abyss, and even after several moments of waiting, there was no sound that could be heard.

To his dismay, he realized that he had to get through this room in order to get to the northern wing.

He took in a deep breath as he prepared to step out onto the first narrow plank. He stepped one foot in front of the other very slowly and with much caution. He thought for a moment that the task might be simpler as a wolf with his heightened sense of balance, but with the constant keese flying at his head, he reconsidered the idea; he couldn't fend off the pesky bats as a canine without practically leaping through the air, which would no doubt send him falling to his death in this treacherous corridor. No, he knew it would be best for him to stay in his true form.

He tiptoed carefully until he came to a patch of ice blocking his path. Seeing no other way to around, he continued on, exercising an even higher level of care as he walked over the slick substance. Not noticing that the ice covered a section of the floor that was slanted downhill, his feet instantly slipped from underneath him, causing him to land harshly on his rear end. He slid down at a dangerously fast pace until he saw the edge nearing him all too quickly. The ground was so slippery that he couldn't control his motions and was unable to stop himself from sliding. He dug his boots into the wood beneath him as hard as he could, and just when it was almost too late, he came to a halt.

The tips of his boots were hanging off the edge, his heels mere centimeters from the edge when he was finally able to stop himself. He looked down, unsure of how to safely get out of his current position. He watched as small chunks of ice and pieces of wood from the floor tumbled off the side and into the abyss as a result of his slip.

Very slowly, and even more carefully, he scooted sideways across the length of the plank, distancing himself from the patch of frost that had caused him to slide. His hand slipped a couple of times, and his feet even more so, each time causing his heart to skip a beat, but he eventually made it to a safer section of the flooring.

He exhaled as he got to his feet and dusted himself off. At this point he noticed that he now had no way forward. The narrow plank he stood atop ended abruptly before him, and the only way onward was by jumping to another section of the floorboard that was parallel to his current location. It was quite the distance, but he saw no other way. He backed up as far as he could – which wasn't much at all – as he prepared to leap. He stepped forward and pushed off the ground with all his might, reaching as far as he could towards his target. However, the gap proved to be wider than he had anticipated.

He flew through the air in slow motion. As soon as he realized he wasn't going to land safely on the ledge, he closed his eyes and prepared himself for the impending collision. His middle smacked harshly into the side of the wooden plank, his arms wrapping uncontrollably around the top of the flooring like jelly, and his shins crashing into the edge of the underside of the wood. The force of the impact caused his body to reverberate off of the plank and narrowly into the void. He was quick to react, though, his hands immediately latching onto the ledge as soon as his brain registered that he was falling.

He hung over the edge for a moment as he tried to gather his bearings. It had felt like it was happening at a snail's pace and yet, at the same time, it all happened so fast that he barely had time to react. His heart raced in his chest as the fear of falling pulsed through his veins. He knew he shouldn't, but before he could stop himself, he glanced down at the abyss below him. All he could see were his dangling feet above an endless, black void, and vertigo instantly whirled around in his mind.

He quickly looked back up, shaking the dizziness from his head and taking in a deep breath as he prepared to hoist himself up onto the platform. It took a great deal of strength, but once he was standing securely on the wooden plank, he slowly exhaled the breath he had been holding in in relief. His stomach ached something awful from the impact and his shins were cut up and bleeding slightly.

"Let's not do that again," Midna stated flatly; he hadn't even noticed her reveal herself.

He nodded as he breathed slowly, "Deal."

After composing himself, he made his way out of the floorless corridor and to another section of the exterior of the mansion. Using a nearby cannon, he took out a large, multiple-eyed ice beast that had been blocking his path to the northern wing where Yeta said that the key was being stored. Once the monster was taken care of by the explosive, Link approached the newly-opened doorway, stepped over the threshold, and closed the door behind him.

He found himself in a narrow hallway with vertical metal bars from floor to ceiling creating an even narrower feeling along the sides. Two suits of armor stood tall near the center of the chamber. Link eyed them suspiciously, but when neither one showed any signs of life, he carried on. However, when he approached the opposite door, a thick, chain-link grating slid down over it, locking him in. He tried lifting up the obstacle, breaking it, picking it, but nothing worked. When he heard something stir behind him, he stopped in mid-motion.

He didn't turn around, he didn't make a sound, he didn't move; he didn't want whatever it was to know that he knew it was there – he wanted to catch it off guard, much like it probably thought it was going to do to him at any moment. He heard deep, muffled breaths and the quiet clanking of chains. Whatever it was, it was trying to sneak up on him, but it was failing miserably.

When his keen, Hylian ears told him that the mysterious creature was drawing closer, he slowly moved his left hand in position to grab the hilt of his blade. However, the beast actually had ended up doing something that caught the _hero_ by surprise.

The sudden, loud clang of metal directly behind him forced him to whirl around to see what had made the sound. What he saw before him was the nearer of the two suits of armor crumpling to the ground in pieces, while the farther of the two stood not far behind, holding a long chain in its hands. Link's eyes followed the chain until he noticed what was attached at the end of it – a large, metal ball that looked like it easily weighed just as much as him, probably more.

The fiend snarled at him just before it whisked the ball back by the chain and into its clutches. Link quickly unsheathed his blade and prepared his shield when he noticed his enemy beginning to swing the massive weapon above its head. He knew one successful hit from this intense weapon could easily incapacitate him – he had to tread carefully.

Link quickly examined his surroundings, knowing full well that he could not take on such a heavyweight without a well-devised plan. He could tell the creature was strong, but even still, the sheer heaviness of the load it carried weighed it down as it approached him not-too-quickly. From the front, he could make out no weak spots; the enemy was covered head to toe in a strong suit of armor. That didn't mean, however, that its back didn't have an opening he could take advantage of – he just had to find a way to get behind it.

The bars and grating theme of this prison-like corridor remained true even on the ceiling, Link observed excitedly, realizing that his clawshot would easily latch onto it, allowing him to get behind his adversary.

He grabbed his clawshot from his pouch and shot it overhead, bringing him to the opposite end of the hallway. He dropped to the floor as quickly as he could, realizing that the monster would turn around soon. He immediately noticed the weak spot he was searching for now that he could see the creature's backside – a bare, unprotected tail. He sliced away at the only part of the beast that wasn't covered in armor, and he heard it wail in pain. It turned around after a few strikes and launched the ball blindly behind itself. Link ducked under the chain by a hair and quickly rolled away before the creature could do anything else.

He knew what to do now, he thought, this should be easy. Simply shoot overhead, get behind, attack the tail, and it would surely be done in with only a few more hits.

Just as he was preparing to continue on with the routine that he had just set in motion, his opponent proved to be more intelligent than he anticipated. When Link raised his left arm up to aim his clawshot, the brute hurled the empty end of the chain in his direction. The metal wrapped around his sword arm a solid five and a half times before the beast pulled on its end of the chain with all its might.

The force yanked the hero's shoulder out of place as it dragged him to the ground and across the floor until he was within close proximity to his foe. Link grunted loudly at the discomfort of his misplaced shoulder as he was continuously being drawn in closer to the monster. When he was directly in front of his adversary, he noticed it preparing to crush him with the massive, metal ball. Link quickly tightened his grip on his shield with his free hand and bashed it as hard as he could against the creature's head.

The troll recoiled with a whimper, reaching its hands up to cradle its now-aching skull. With the chains dropped from its clutches, Link quickly used his good hand to free his left arm. He hastily unwrapped the chain from his forearm and backed himself as far away from the monster as he could.

He sat down in a far corner, trying desperately to regain movement of his left arm. He winced as even the slightest motion was painful.

"Midna," he whispered.

She swiftly came out of the shadows to examine his shoulder. "Did you dislocate it?" she asked without even waiting to hear what he was going to say first.

He nodded with a grimace, "Yeah."

She prodded at it a bit, resulting in small grumbles from Link.

"What are you gonna-"

"Pop it back in."

She paused, "Link, I-I don't think I-"

"Do it, please," he stated plainly as he watched the creature at the opposite end of the room still stumbling about.

She still wasn't convinced, "Link, I don't know how. What if I do it wrong and make it worse?"

By now, Link noticed, the monster had composed itself and was heading for him.

"I can't do it myself, Midna. Just do it, please."

"But-"

It was coming, and it had a vengeance.

"Just do it!" he shouted impatiently, realizing that his rival was nearing him all too quickly and he was in no condition to fight back without the use of his sword arm.

Midna followed his gaze and noticed why he was so antsy – now she, too, was nervous, "Okay, okay!"

Not knowing what to do and being in a state of panic, she fumbled with his arm for a bit before getting anywhere. She turned his forearm inwards, then outwards, then upwards, then inwards again. He groaned and winced from the pain, but she still couldn't figure out how to fix it.

Noticing she was having trouble and knowing that they didn't have the time, he quickly tried to talk her through it, "Feel the shoulder."

"K-Kay…" she said nervously as she placed her small hands on his shoulder blade.

"Feel where the bone is misplaced?" he spoke so quickly she could hardly understand him, but she was still able to just barely make it out.

"Yeah," she answered with a shaky voice, the feeling of the dislocated bone grossing her out.

He kept his eyes on the fiend all the while; even though it was ever approaching, it was still not quite close enough to attack just yet as it had taken quite a while to heft its weapon back into its grasp, but it would be much too close for comfort within a matter of seconds.

"Push my shoulder in the opposite direction."

She breathed in slowly, preparing herself as she knew she had to do this accurately but also with haste. She wanted to argue, wanted to ask more questions, but she knew she had to do this now lest he be a sitting duck for the mysterious ogre in the suit of armor. Disregarding hesitation, she stabilized his forearm and with her body pressed against his back, she pulled his shoulder in her direction with all her strength. She felt a sickening '_pop_' beneath her hands and the hero wavered a bit under her touch.

He moaned loudly as his upper half toppled over to the ground. He rested on his good elbow for a mere few seconds, taking a moment to compose himself as the pain was intense. Realizing he had no time left, he got to his feet and just as the monster was preparing to launch the ball in his direction, Midna swooped back into his shadow and he rolled just underneath the soaring chain. Using his dominant arm despite its protest of just being put back into place, he brandished his blade and sliced away at the fiend's tail.

The monster whirled around much quicker than he had expected. He hurriedly raised his shield as the brute prepared to bring the heavy ball crashing down on top of him. It had happened so rapidly that he hadn't had time to dodge out of the way. His shield, however, wasn't strong enough to protect him from the immense weight of the metal ball coupled with the strength of his opponent.

As the ball flew through the air and smacked into Link's Hylian shield, the sheer force of the swing shattered the hero's guard and practically crushed his arm along with it. The strike sent him soaring through the narrow corridor and caused him to collide harshly with the far wall. A whimper escaped his lips upon impact before he slid motionlessly down to the ground like a discarded rag doll.

"Link!" Midna shouted as she appeared before him.

She looked down at his arm. It lay about him in a horribly twisted angle, one that could not be achieved when all was in its proper place – she nearly gagged at the sight. All that was left of his shield was the strap that held it to his forearm; the rest of it was in pieces strewn about the brick flooring. The simple fact that his guard was shattered from the sheer power of the monster's weapon couldn't mean anything good for the arm that had been holding it there.

"Link, wake up," she said more quietly this time, growing fearful as she looked back and forth between her hero and his foe.

The creature stood still, obviously thinking itself the victor as it resumed its motionless stance as nothing more than a suit of armor.

"Link," she tried again, this time smacking his cheek slightly.

His eyes began moving beneath his lids, and she could hear him groaning.

"That's it, wake up."

His eyes opened sluggishly as he looked around the room. He opened his mouth to say something, but Midna quickly placed a finger to his lips.

"Shh… Mister Ugly over there thinks he got you."

He glanced around again, obviously having a bit of trouble remembering exactly what had just happened. As the seconds ticked away, she could see him piecing it back together in his mind. When he had been flung across the room, his head had taken quite a beating, which had been the result of him losing consciousness. When the throbbing in his skull started up, he went to lift a hand up to his aching head, only to find that he was unable to move his right in the slightest, and his left was terribly sore.

She watched him anxiously as it all came back to him in a flurry, "How did I manage to hurt both of my arms?" he asked a bit bitterly, trying to find the ironic humor in the situation.

"You can still use your sword arm," she said as she looked over her shoulder at the enemy whose back was to them.

Link looked as well.

"He thinks he's won," she turned back to him, "Sneak up on him – he'll never know what hit him," she suggested with a grin.

He feigned a smile as he slowly and quietly got to his feet. The task of unsheathing his blade silently with a throbbing arm proved to be quite difficult, but he managed. He tiptoed over to the unaware troll and lifted his steel overhead. He stabbed the Master Sword through the top of the monster's tail and into the ground, pinning it in place. Then, in a single, fluid motion, he leapt up onto the beast's shoulders, its head between his knees, and he twisted quickly to the side, snapping its neck and ending it instantly.

As the lifeless body fell to the floor, he jumped from his perch and landed securely on his feet. He exhaled a long breath as he sheathed his blade and sunk to his knees.

"I… didn't know you had that in you," Midna murmured as she hovered in front of him with a bit of a bewildered look on her face.

He looked at her, a crooked smirk poorly masking his pain, "Gotta do what you gotta do. Right?"

She nodded with a small smile, "Right."

Looking down at himself, he sighed a heavy sigh. He glanced around at the hard ground, noticing bits and pieces of his shield scattered about.

"Guy broke my shield," he stated the obvious, more so for himself than for Midna as he sat down and leaned against the wall.

She nodded, "So he did."

He scooped up and cradled his mangled arm in his good one with a grimace before looking back up at his partner, "Guy broke my arm."

Midna couldn't help but giggle at how he always tried to lighten up the worst of situations, "So he did."

"Hurts like hell."

"I bet it does."

He eyeballed her confusedly.

"What?" she asked.

"You're not going to reprimand me for getting so injured?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "Nah. I figured that you'd reprimand yourself enough for the both of us."

He chuckled, "That's probably true."

She folded her arms over her chest, "You were good. Careless… but good."

He smiled again as his eyelids began getting heavy. As he tried his best to keep them open, he began to notice little pricks of blackness making their way into his vision. Before long, he could only see a small bit of blurred color in the middle of a frame of darkness. He heard Midna uttering something soothing in his ear, but he couldn't make out the words. As the minutes ticked away, his senses fell away from him one by one until finally, his mind completely shut down and he was given rest.

* * *

_**To push yourself until you are no longer whole.**_

* * *

**A/N: Now, **to answer some questions about the previous chapter. One person mentioned that it was stupid of Link to stay still when he was on Snowpeak, and that may be true, however, people experiencing hypothermia most times don't actually realize that they're freezing (I've experienced a mild case of hypothermia myself, so I can vouch for this). In the worst cases of hypothermia, people have been known to lie down in corners, completely still, and most times they actually take off all of their clothes - I didn't want to go that far, though, because you guys would probably think I'd driven Link insane!

Another reviewer said that he wouldn't have been able to survive, or if he had, he would have been too frostbitten to ever use his limbs again. That's true and also not true. Link is actually pretty well-layered, so I think that he would have been fine. The only thing that would be a problem are the tips of his fingers that are exposed. In that case, realistically, yes, the very tips of his fingers probably would have been too frostbitten for use ever again, but I really didn't want to have to chop Link's fingers off (I put the poor guy through enough!)


	36. Strength

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 12/15/13 – Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 36: Strength

**.:.**

The hero remained unconscious for quite some time after the encounter with the powerful creature wielding the ball and chain.

Midna watched over him anxiously as he slept. He had been leaning against the wall until his consciousness slipped away from him, which caused his upper half to tumble to the ground parallel to the stone wall behind him. He had drifted off with his weight predominately on the left side, forcing him to fall onto his left shoulder when he lost awareness. Had he been awake, the strain on his previously dislocated shoulder would have more than likely been unpleasant. His right arm, being on top, lay across his midsection in a twisted angle. Midna cringed as she noticed his wrist was almost bent entirely backwards.

After the first hour passed and he still had not come to, the imp decided to move her hero into a more comfortable position seeing as he was currently crushing his sore shoulder. She tugged on the front of his tunic, pulling him away from the wall a bit and allowing him to lay flat on his back. She sighed in contentment when she thought that he finally looked relaxed. However, she then noticed that he was shivering something awful and his lips were a frightening shade of blue. She let her body fully embrace the world of light, allowing herself to feel the harsh temperature as well. That didn't matter though, what mattered was helping Link in whatever way she could. She lifted up his left arm, laid herself down at his side, and placed his arm back down behind her.

She knew her tiny body wouldn't do much, and she was sure - being a creature of twilight - that she didn't give off much heat, but she also knew that it couldn't hurt to try.

Sleep had been a welcome guest to the pair of them, Midna drifting off to dreamland soon after cuddling up beside her hero. Hours whisked away like dandelions in a summer wind, coming and going in numbers that neither of them were aware of. It was picturesque – had anyone been around to see it – the sight of the two companions huddled together fast asleep. Both dreamt of different things entirely, but both were completely peaceful for possibly the very first time since this whole thing began. Sure, Link was undoubtedly in pain and both were shaking from the cold, but their subconscious let them escape the stark reality of things, even if only for a bit, as they rested in the soothing company of one another.

Many hours later, Link's eyes slowly began to open. He couldn't remember what had happened at first – he had slept long and hard. As the last events of his conscious memory came back to him one by one, he blinked away the sleep from his vision. He glanced around, only using his eyes to search the room about him. He saw the chain-link above him and the metal bars at his side. As he sluggishly came back to reality, he became aware of a warm sensation underneath his left arm and along his side. He picked his head up off the ground just slightly, allowing himself to get a look at what was beside him.

When he saw the curled up form of his friend and partner snuggled up next to him, he stared blankly for a moment. At first he was sure he was still dreaming, but when he closed his eyes tightly, shook his head, and reopened them, she was still there. Shocked, but pleasantly so, he couldn't help but smile.

That was when the feeling in his body fully awoke to greet his mind. He grimaced as a wave of pain rushed over him from head to toe and he let his head fall back to the ground. When the pang settled into his right arm primarily, he attempted to lift it so he could examine it, but he found that he was unable to.

_That's right,_ he remembered, _that _thing_ broke my arm._

He let out a long, slow exhale before closing his eyes once more, and unconsciousness took him yet again.

After another hour or so passed by, Midna began to stir. Her eyelids fluttered open and she looked over to see the young man still sound asleep. She lifted her body into a seated position so as to better examine the snoring Hylian. His lips was slightly agape, his head cocked a bit to the side, and she could spot the tiniest drop of wetness dripping from the corner of his mouth. She couldn't stifle the giggles that ensued – he was obviously in desperate need of a good, long rest.

Her smile flipped upside-down as she gazed upon his mangled arm; how was he going to carry on battling monsters without the use of one of his arms? At least he still had his sword arm, she thought, and at least they were in the home of kind creatures that were willingly giving them the mirror piece. She was sure he would be done for if he had to take down some giant monster like usual.

She sighed as she watched him sleep for another moment before deciding it was time to move on. She called his name, nudging at his shoulder as she did so. He grumbled before opening his eyes just a slit and looking over at her with an expression of confusion.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she apologized as soon as she realized, "I forgot your shoulder was sore."

He shook his head as he ran his good hand down his face in an attempt to wake himself up, "It's fine. It doesn't hurt that bad anymore."

"What about your other arm?" she asked, a bit nervous about the answer.

He sighed as he sat up and looked at his broken arm just as Midna was, "Well, it doesn't feel great; I'll leave it at that."

"Can you fight?"

He glanced over at her, then back to his right arm. The bone in his wrist protruded from its socket in a sickeningly angle; he could barely stand to look at it. His eyes travelled up the length of his forearm, examining every inch. With his other hand, he reached over and prodded at the twin bones in his right arm, and he winced as he instantly felt cracks and severs along it. He was, at least, able to bend his arm slightly at the elbow, but it was far from comfortable. Lastly, he rolled both of his shoulders backward, omitting a few popping sounds. He grimaced slightly as a dull throb echoed throughout his left shoulder at the sudden effort due to recently being out of place. He went to move his right hand to massage the sore shoulder, but was reminded painfully of its current immobility.

Giving his shoulders a final, quick roll, he let out a sigh and answered positively, "I can manage."

Midna nodded, "Alright… Hopefully that's the only tough guy you have to fight."

The hero sighed as he got to his feet, "Yeah, hopefully."

"Well," the imp began, as she, too, let out a sigh, "The key is supposed to be right through this door. Shall we?"

Instead of getting a nod of approval or a short, quick reply like she was expecting, Link didn't respond at all.

"Link?" Midna called, waving a hand in front of his face.

He ignored the gesture and walked a few paces toward where the fallen creature lay in the middle of the chamber. On the floor beside the body of the beast was the mighty weapon it had used against Link during their battle. Link examined it, mentally debating whether or not he could wield such a heavy tool with the use of only one of his arms.

Midna followed his line of sight and watched in bewilderment as he attempted to lift the weapon. He picked up the chain in his good hand – his left – and tugged on the slack until he reached the large, metal ball. He hefted it up into his grasp but when he found it was too heavy to maintain his firm grip on it, he instinctually moved his right arm in order to hold it in both hands stably. He sucked in a sharp breath when the pain of using his broken arm reminded his body yet again that he couldn't use it. It would take some getting used to and some concentration to stop his body from habitually using his other arm.

The ball clanked loudly to the ground.

"You don't honestly think you can wield that one-handed, do you?" Midna asked seriously.

"Yes," he said without even taking a second to contemplate it and without so much as glancing in her direction; he simply continued the effort.

She furrowed her brow confusedly, "But why? Why waste your energy on picking up this huge weapon that you don't even need?"

He picked up the metal ball once again and merely held it steady in his left hand, getting himself accustomed to grasping it firmly without the use of his right arm.

When Midna spoke, Link looked over at her, "Because you never know when it might come in handy."

She shook her head with an exhale, "I don't think you should be wasting your strength."

He turned away from her gaze as he began stuffing the long chain into his weightless pouch, "I don't think you should be worrying about it. Have I not succeeded by my own devices so far?"

She scoffed, "Barely! You probably can't even count the number of times you've nearly died on both hands!"

Link sighed after reaching the end of the chain and being unable to tuck the ball away into his knapsack with only one hand. He looked at her with a bit of a crestfallen expression.

"Ugh…" Midna groaned after having realized the angry tone she had taken on. "I just… I'm trying to help you, don't you get that? You mean too much to me now. I don't want to see you get hurt any more than you can help. Especially if the reason you're getting hurt is because you were stupid and wasted all your strength on picking up some monster-guy's metal ball just because '_you never know when it might come in handy_,'" the imp finished, emphasizing the last phrase by lowering her voice and imitating her companion's determined expression.

Link smirked, "That was a pretty good impression of me."

"Well, I _have_ been stuck with you for quite some time."

Link couldn't help but chuckle; that was definitely true.

The room was quiet for a number of heartbeats before Midna finally spoke up, "So, you're still taking that thing anyway, no matter what I say?"

"Midna… just trust me, okay?"

She stared at him for a solid minute before giving in with a huff, "Fine. You better know what you're doing."

After stuffing the ball and chain into his pack with the help of his partner, they proceeded through the far door in hopes that the key they had been searching for would be found just beyond it.

The hero sighed in aggravation as soon as he realized they had been led astray yet again.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Midna shrieked as soon as Link opened the chest – he was sure the yetis could hear it from the front of the mansion, "Cheese?"

"Cheese," Link reiterated as he held the dairy product in his open palm and eyed it suspiciously.

When he leaned in and sniffed it, his companion gave him a disgusted look, "Um, ew?"

"This is Ordon goat cheese," he said simply, recognizing the distinct smell from home in an instant.

"So?"

"'So?' Don't you think it's weird that they have goat cheese from Ordon just sitting in a chest in an otherwise empty room?"

He could see the wheels in her brain turning, "You're right… Do you think that girl has been pointing us in the wrong direction on purpose?"

He glanced up at his partner and then back down at his hand, "I don't know," he sighed as he stuffed the food into his pouch, "Let's go back and talk to her."

"_Again_," Midna huffed angrily.

They made their way back through the mansion to the front-most wing in which the yetis dwelt. Luckily, very few enemies assaulted them, and the only ones that had were easily dispatched of one-handedly. When Link finally opened the door to the kitchen, a wonderfully warm sensation greeted his freezing body.

"Uh!" the booming voice of the largest yeti spoke up as soon as the hero closed the door behind him, "What? Good smell! What you have, uh?"

Remembering what happened last time, Link hesitantly reached in his knapsack after backing away from the yeti considerably. He hadn't distanced himself enough, though, as Yeto crossed the small gap without even thinking and shoved the young man to the ground. The impact sent a quick jolt of pain throughout his broken arm as he collided with the hard floor.

Yeto knelt down and picked up the goat cheese that tumbled from the hero's grasp, "Mm! Perfect ingredient, uh! Have taste, human!"

Link didn't respond, he simply remained on the ground with a grimace plastered on his face all the while.

Yeto noticed this, and after having dropped the new ingredient into his soup, he made his way over to the hero on the floor and asked, "What wrong with little human?"

Link blinked a few times as he stared up at the beast towering over him. He was holding his broken arm in his good one, and using solely his abdominal muscles, he got up into a seated position.

"Human hurt, uh?"

Link nodded as he stood the rest of the way up rather slowly, "Yeah, but I'll be fine."

"Little human drink soup. Make you feel all better!" the yeti shouted enthusiastically as he grabbed a nearby bowl and filled it to the brim before offering it to him.

At first, Link tried to refuse, claiming that he would be alright and that he was in a hurry to find the mirror piece. Yeto, however, insisted that he needed some soup. In the end, Yeto was the victor, and Link ended up being glad that he was. He held the bowl to his mouth firmly in his one good hand and tilted back, downing its contents in record time.

"Human feel better now?" Yeto asked as he took the bowl from the hero's hand and placed it beside the steaming pot.

He nodded appreciatively, even though it truthfully didn't do anything for his arm, "Yes, thank you."

"Good, good! Have as much as you like, uh!"

"Actually, I was hoping you might be able to tell me where the key to your bedchamber is," Link began, "Your wife told me that that is where you locked away the mirror piece I seek, but, unfortunately, she hasn't been able to point me in the right direction. It seems she has misplaced it or-"

"Wife not well," the massive yeti cut-in, suddenly having taken on a disparaging look, "Mirror piece very bad thing, uh. Make wife sick. Make wife tired. Make wife angry. Wife always so happy and kind; Yeto favorite thing about wife her smile – Yeto not see Yeta smile since mirror."

Link listened intently as the beast spoke, his eyes narrowing in concentration towards his every word. He found himself feeling genuinely sorry for the strange creature, and that simply fueled his desire to get the shard even quicker.

"I'm sorry for your hardship. The mirror that you found is…" he paused to search for a fitting word, "not exactly of this world," he decided to put it lightly for the yeti's sake (and his own), "Tell me where the key is and I will take the piece off your hands, and your wife will return to her usual self."

The yeti smiled, "Yes… Yeto would like that very much, uh."

There was a long pause, and it was obvious that Yeto was thinking about where exactly they had left the key.

"Key in northeastern wing of mansion," he finally stated.

"And you're positive that's where it is?" Link asked, just to be sure so that he wouldn't be wasting any more time fetching random food items.

"Yeto is sure. Key in big chest in room with fluffy red carpet."

Link nodded; he sounded sure enough, after all, "Alright. As soon as I have the mirror I'll return here and let you know that you are free of it."

Yeto glanced away briefly before saying at the last, "Do not tell wife Yeto told human where key is. She… will not be happy to see pretty thing go, uh."

The hero simply nodded again, only much slower this time as his mind began reeling. He couldn't help but wonder… was that why she had been telling him the wrong location all this time? Also, was that why he witnessed random, drastic changes in her on multiple occasions, because she didn't want him to take the mirror? Whatever the case, he hoped to get the key, get the piece, and get out before the female yeti could even realize what happened.

"I will not say a word."

The beast then smiled a huge smile and said, "Yeto thanks you, human!" before clapping the Hylian firmly on his shoulder – his _right_ shoulder.

Link sucked in a breath and shut his eyes tight at the sudden heightened level of pain in his injured arm, "Yeah," he muttered, still holding in that same breath, "Don't mention it."

Being the oblivious yeti that he was, Yeto simply grinned and returned to his cooking. Link chuckled silently at the creature's innocence before heading towards the door.

However, that was when he realized that he had to pass by Yeta in order to get to the eastern section of the manor. He knew she would try to speak with him, and he knew that he had never been a good liar. Deciding to go the route of simply running past her without even a glance in her direction, he made his way into the adjacent room.

As he closed the door behind him, he noticed that the smaller yeti appeared to be fast asleep beside one of the overturned sofas. Her eyes were closed, her jaw hung open slightly, and she was snoring ever so quietly. Taking the opportunity to sneak past her, he darted through the corridor towards the exit on the opposite side. Just as he passed the fireplace, though, that familiar voice rang loud in his pointed ears.

"Where little human going?"

He stopped dead in his tracks and gulped down the complete shock that wracked his body when he heard her speak; he was certain that she had been unconscious only seconds earlier.

He turned around, doing his best to seem unaffected, "I'm going to look for the key."

She furrowed her brow, "Uh… Key not where Yeta said?"

"No," he shook his head, "There was just some goat cheese in a chest."

"Then… Where little human going now? Yeta hasn't told human next place to look, uh."

"Oh, I, uh," he stammered as he scratched at the back of his neck apprehensively; he hadn't expected her to put that part together, "I just decided I would search the only wing in the mansion that I hadn't been to yet. I figured it has to be in the last place I would look, right?" he finished with a nervous laughter.

Silence befell the warm chamber for quite some time, the only sound in the room being that of the crackling embers inside the fireplace. The darkness in the yeti's irises set the hero off, and he had a hard time maintaining eye contact with her.

Finally, she broke the silence, "Key in northeastern room."

Her words were flat, precise, and to the point – she even gave the same location as her husband.

Knowing full-well that he had lingered here too long and that he didn't want to waste any more time and possibly compromise his commitment to Yeto, he prepared to take his leave, "Thank you, I'll head there now."

"Wait," she called before he could even turn all the way around.

Link looked over his shoulder at her.

"Human's arm is hurt. Let Yeta look, uh."

He shook his head immediately, "No, no," he smiled politely, "It's alright."

"Human cannot go out into mansion with wolves and monsters with bad arm, uh. Let Yeta fix-"

"No," he said again quickly, "Thank you, but I'll be fine."

She stared him down, the expression on her face sending shivers down his spine. When she uttered not a word, he took his opportunity to leave with much haste.

"That girl is starting to freak me out," Midna said as soon as the duo emerged in the snowy courtyard.

"I know, but she isn't herself, remember."

"Yeah, yeah. But what I don't get is why she said the exact same location as her beast-man husband. So then… does that mean they're both lying? Or if they're both telling the truth… why would she suddenly decide to tell us the right place?" Midna pointed out as they both paused a moment to think on it.

"I was thinking the same thing," Link replied thoughtfully, "You think it's a trap?"

She scoffed, "I doubt it. I mean, what could that little yeti girl possibly do? Kick snow at you?" she laughed.

Link retained a serious expression, "Well, I've realized so far during all this that it's never wise to underestimate anyone or anything. I've been taken by surprise too many times already."

"I guess you're right," Midna shrugged, "When did you get so insightful?"

Link chuckled and humbly changed the subject, "Let's just hurry up and get out of here, what do you say?"

"I say that's a great idea."

The eastern section of the yeti's manor was filled with many more corridors than both the western and the northern wings combined. There were simply rooms upon rooms upon rooms with icy floors and frosty monsters. He was so tired of constantly being so cold; he actually wished he could be back in the Goron Mines if only for a moment. Moving his fingertips had become a nearly impossible chore. They were so frozen and frostbitten that he was almost sure that blood had stopped flowing to those extremities. His nose and ears were agonizingly numb as well.

When he found himself in a circular chamber that housed two enormous beasts made entirely of ice, he wasn't sure exactly what to do at first. The last time he came across one of these monsters he had been able to blow it to smithereens with a nearby cannon. In this room, however, he had no such luck. He glanced around in hopes of finding something in his surroundings to use against his enemy. Coming up blank, he suddenly got another idea. Reaching into his pouch, he clumsily grabbed out the ball and chain.

"Please, be careful," his shadow begged.

He fumbled a bit with the heavy weapon at first, having some difficulty holding all the weight in his single hand. After getting a firm grip on it and deciding he had a good enough feel for it, he approached the fiend. It looked over at him with its dozen red eyes and Link began swinging the chain overhead. The motion was slow and arduous, but he was capable. Just as the beast began taking in a deep breath in preparation to freeze the hero, he let the hefty ball fly. It crashed into the monster and it crumbled to the floor in pieces.

"I'm impressed," Midna admitted.

Link smiled crookedly and nodded in her direction in thanks. He wasn't done just yet, though.

The next adversary was a bit farther up the winding slope that coursed up the center of the room. Link went up to it slowly, hoping to catch it off guard. He started swinging the chain in order to build up momentum and just as he was about to release it, the terror turned toward him and blew a fierce gust of wind in his direction. It instantaneously captured him in a blanket of ice. For that moment he couldn't think, he couldn't act, he was simply frozen in place. The ice shattered minutes later and the hero was left shivering where he stood as the metal ball tumbled to the ground and rolled down the twisting ramp.

"Link," Midna called when she saw him crumple to one knee, "Are you okay?"

She saw him waver, and she realized that he could barely keep himself stable. When she noticed that he was leaning downhill and he was about to follow the path the ball and chain had taken, she gave herself form and leaned against him to hold him up.

She pressed her body against his side as she looked up at his weary face, "Can you get up?"

He opened his eyes and glanced at her briefly before struggling to get to his feet. She hovered in front of him and dusted off his tunic as she looked him over – she was getting tired of always seeing him looking awful.

"You can do it. Try again," she chimed encouragingly.

Subconsciously, he made his way down to where the ball had rolled to, picked it up, and returned to greet the icy beast. He waited patiently for the monster to give him its back and he quickly launched the heavy weapon into it and it shattered with ease. He heaved a sigh as he tucked the metal back into his pouch.

"You alright?" his partner asked.

He simply nodded without a word and they continued on.

The hero stumbled forward, truly growing wearier by the moment with his every endeavor. He kept his chin up, though, as he always did and would always continue to do for however long this Goddess-damned journey would take him.

He found himself constantly being baffled by the corridors he found himself in. He had grown accustomed to what the typical room was like in this place: patches of frost and snow amongst an otherwise normal ground. However, when he came into a chamber that was covered in naught but ice from floor to ceiling, he was even more shocked. He slid about as he tried his best to walk slowly so as to prevent falling. His boots did little for his traction, though, and he nearly tripped quite a few times before making it safely out of the frozen passage.

It was obvious that this manor had been uninhabited for quite some time. He wasn't sure if the yetis were new to living here and it had simply been abandoned for a long time before their arrival, or if they had resided here some many years and just didn't care about the rest of the mansion being covered in snow and ice seeing as they were creatures of just that.

He hadn't realized that getting to the northeastern-most chamber would be so extensive – this place felt like more of a maze than a mansion to the wounded hero. After a number of hours making his way through seemingly endless corridors, he eventually found himself in a large room that looked very similar to that of a church. Pews lined the vast room on opposite sides, and a red, velvet runner travelled down the center. He grew excited when he realized that this should be the room that Yeto was talking about with its rosy carpet that he had mentioned. Beyond a pair of ornately designed windows he could see a treasure chest, and he instantly sprinted for it out of sheer enthusiasm of being done with this place.

His hopes were dashed when he made it merely a few paces. Tall, icy monsters fell from the ceiling in hoards and crashed down upon him. He quickly drew his sword and began hacking away at the beasts. His blade sliced clean through the middle of the first and the second in turn and they each crumbled to the ground. He whirled around and lobbed the left-side limbs off of the third, the head off of the fourth, and stabbed straight through the center of the fifth. Genuinely fatigued, his head began spinning a bit and he simply stood in place as he tried to compose himself. The sixth and seventh of his frosty adversaries noticed this, and devised a plan much more ingenious than the hero even thought these fiends were capable.

The former approached him from behind while its partner kept the Hylian occupied from the front. They swung and parried back and forth until Link realized that he had forgotten about the creature at his back. He spun around only to be met with two frozen hands pushing him down by the shoulders. He yelped out loud in pain as the beast tackled him to the ground and pinned him down at the arms. Had he been uninjured, this monster's mediocre attempt at restraining him would have been foolhardy, but because it was putting such a considerable amount of pressure on his already broken arm, he was truly stunned.

He lay paralyzed for a moment as he did his best to cope with the pain. When he reopened his eyes, the chilling creature was merely inches from the hero's face, staring down at him. As soon as it noticed its enemy's eyes open, it picked up the hand it had clutching Link's left shoulder and lifted it straight above itself. In a second flat, a large spear made entirely of ice formed in its grip. The brute glared back down at its victim as it prepared to hurl its spear right into the hero.

Reacting in a second flat, Link took his free hand and punched the arm of the ice monster that was still pinning him down. The impact caused the creature's elbow to bend in and it tumbled over beside the hero as its support was knocked out from underneath it. Now free of the enemy's frozen grip, Link rolled over so that he was now holding down his foe in the same way that he had been previously, only resting on his knees as opposed to his hands. Before the creature could even realize what was happening, Link withdrew the Master Sword and hurled it toward the ground, stabbing his rival through the middle.

The last of the icy fiends steadily approached him from behind, thinking that it was going to sneak up on him and be the last one standing. The hero, however, knew that it was there. He sheathed his blade slowly so as to make the creature believe it had the upper-hand even more so. As soon as the beast was close enough, Link reached his left arm above and behind him and grabbed hold of the slender giant, slinging it over his good shoulder and throwing it to the ground where it shattered into thousands of pieces. He heaved a heavy sigh that displayed itself as a white puff before his lips as he relaxed on the cold ground.

"You're something else, you know that?" Midna teased with a playful smirk as she appeared in front of him.

"Nah," he muttered as he began searching through his knapsack.

The imp watched him confusedly as he rummaged for something that she was unsure of. After a moment or two, his hand emerged from the bottomless pouch holding the bandaging cloth that Renado had left him.

"What are you gonna do with that?"

He didn't answer, he simply got to work. He unfolded the wrapped up gauze and wound it around his broken forearm and over the same shoulder, creating a makeshift sling for his injured arm.

"Good idea," Midna whispered, wondering why she hadn't thought of doing that for him in the first place.

"There really isn't enough cloth," he thought aloud as he finished up, "But it'll do for now."

His partner helped him to tie up the loose ends before he got to his feet, "Yeah, sorry… I had to bandage up your head after that fight with the wolves, that's why there isn't that much cloth."

"Nothing to be sorry about, it had to be done," he smiled, "Ready to see if this is finally the right location?"

She nodded energetically and he proceeded to step through the nearby door. Plush carpet led up a short staircase and at the top sat a similar looking treasure chest as the previous two. Link took in a deep breath in anticipation and Midna closed her eyes in fear of what they would find inside the trunk. After building up the courage to open the lid, he did just that and peered inside nervously.

"Well?" Midna called after hearing the creaking of the chest opening but getting no word from her companion, "Is it the key?"

Link sighed in relief and smiled, "Yes, it's the key."

Midna exhaled a long breath, "Finally! Now let's go get that stupid mirror and get out of this beast-house!"

"Let's," he agreed as he stuffed the key into his pouch and they exited the room with haste.

As he hurried out the door, he practically crashed right into Yeta who was standing directly in front of it. His heart jumped in shock as he looked up at the strange yeti.

"Oh! You safe, uh!" she said enthusiastically which caught the hero by surprise, "I drink husband's soup, feel much better, uh. So I come find you. You find key?"

He nodded apprehensively.

"Good, good! Bedroom right above us. I take you there, uh," she said as she turned around and headed up the nearby winding slope.

Link stayed behind for a minute, honestly concerned with what was about to transpire.

"You so sure it's not a trap now?" the hero whispered quietly to his shadow.

"Oh, just shut up and follow her!"

He walked a few paces behind her until they reached the top of the central tier of the mansion. The wind whipped across his face harshly at this elevation, and he found himself shivering quite violently. A large door with a heart-shaped lock stood tall before them, and he decided he would wait for her prompt before opening it.

"You said you have key, uh…"

"Yes," he said as he stepped forward and removed the lock, dropping it to the ground beside the door.

He turned back to look at her as she said, "Come inside…"

Her voice was low and serious as she waddled through the massive doors and into the large room. He followed slowly and nervously, and as soon as he was completely inside, the entrance slammed shut behind him.

"Please… This way, uh," Yeta called monotonously, looking over her shoulder at the guest. She stood before the mirror piece, staring into it as she spoke to him.

He approached her cautiously, taking in every detail of his surroundings and listening to her every word as he did so.

"Here… mirror. You look at it, uh…"

He stood some feet behind her, looking over her shoulder and into her reflection in the mirror. For a moment, she seemed normal as she went on about how she adored the thing, "Uh… So pretty… Pretty… Uh… So pretty…"

It was when her swaying stopped altogether and her words began to slow. Her gaze locked onto the shard before her and an intense anger began to well up inside of her eyes, "Pretty… pretty mirror…" she began twitching, "Yeta keep pretty mirror…"

Her next words were a whisper, barely even audible, "Human not take lovely mirror…"

His brow furrowed as he watched her carefully. He took a step back when her twitching intensified; he was simply at a loss for what to do.

When he opened his mouth to reason with her, she cut him off before he could even get a word out. She whirled around in a flash, her usually calm eyes were bright, blood red and her teeth were fangs that she snarled at him as she screamed at the top of her lungs, "NOT TAKE MIRROR!"

His eyes became wide as saucers and time seemed to completely stop as her gaze petrified him to the bone. Time ticked on when the sound of shattering glass reached his ears. He looked up to see all of the windows breaking and cold air and snow rushing in. He covered his face with his forearm as shards of glass came raining down on top of him. When he looked back at Yeta, she was in the center of a swirling blizzard. After it cleared, she was encased in a giant block of ice, and the yetis' bedroom turned into a frost cavern just the same. The walls, the floor, and even the ceiling were simply covered in a thick sheet of ice in the blink of an eye.

The giant ice mass that was Yeta began her approach.

Link backed away, watching carefully but not knowing exactly what to do.

After a few solid minutes of doing nothing but avoiding the altercation, Midna stepped in to yell, "What are you doing? Attack it!"

Link seemed shocked that she would even suggest that, "I don't want to hurt her, Midna! This is Yeta, not some monster!"

"Well, Link, right now it _is_ some monster and _not_ Yeta!"

He shook his head, "I can't hurt her; she's innocent!"

"Link, don't be stupid! You'll only be hurting her if you don't save her from the curse, or spell, or whatever the mirror has over her!"

He sighed; he knew she was right, but he didn't like it.

The mass moved very sluggishly, and that gave the hero plenty of time to prepare for what he needed to do. Remembering the enormous frost beasts that he had taken out previously, he pulled out the ball and chain and swung it in her direction. With a direct hit, it only lessened her size by a miniscule amount, so he went for it again. The more times he launched the heavy, metal ball, more and more of the yeti's icy exterior withered away.

When he chipped off the last of the ice, Yeta's body was sent flying into the far wall. At first, Link thought about running to her and making sure that she was alright, but he soon realized that this was not yet over. Her form hovered up into the air before letting out an ear-splitting screech and forming yet another icy blockade around her. This time, not only was she encased in her own cocoon of frost, but she had a dozen or so colossal shards of ice to accompany her in battle.

He watched above him nervously as the spikes began falling from the ceiling one by one. He immediately started running and soon realized just how hard it was to keep from falling while doing so. He could feel the large chunks of ice landing directly behind his feet with each stride, but when one suddenly collapsed in front of him, he narrowly saved himself by jumping back. He slid backward on his rear end, his heart aflutter at the near-death experience. Not thinking anything of it, he glanced briefly down at the ice below him before getting to his feet. He had to do a double-take when he noticed how perfectly the ice reflected what was above him; he could clearly make out Yeta's location as well as each individual pillar of ice.

Keeping his gaze locked on that of the ground, he picked up running again as the fragments descended upon him. Three or four landed behind him in succession, one at his side, and when he noticed one in the reflection preparing to crash before him, he quickly altered course. Before long, all of the gigantic icicles were planted in the ground, and Link reacted instantly by pulling out the ball and chain and hurling it into as many as he could.

He wasn't fast enough to destroy them all, but when Yeta's massive encasement proceeded to crash into the center of the floor, the hero had been ready. He hastily launched the metal weapon into the side of the yeti's icy barrier, and it cracked it in half.

The possessed form of the female yeti screamed out in pure rage and summoned yet another fleet of stalactites. The hero picked up the pace as they crash landed at his heels much faster than they had previously. When he went to make a sharp turn in order to avoid an oncoming chunk, however, he lost his traction and fell forward. He landed harshly on his wounded arm and slid some distance across the slippery ice. He groaned out loud in pain but knew he had no time to waste when he looked into the reflection and saw the shards lined up and prepared to crush him in his current location.

Being unable to get to his feet in time, he covered his right arm with his left and rolled out of the way just as one of the icicles fell. Another crashed down, and another, and another, and all the hero could do was keep rolling as quickly as his adrenaline-fueled body could take him. When all the spikes were grounded, he hustled to his feet and just when Yeta collided into the icy floor, he flung the heavy ball with the last of his strength.

Her shell of frost shattered in a flash and she was left defenseless. Her body writhed back and forth in place, as if she was battling with an evil presence inside of her. In a burst of blinding white light, the malevolent feeling was gone from the room and Yeta was left lying motionless on the soft carpet of the yetis' bedroom.

The icy surroundings faded away, as if they had only been an illusion the whole time. Link could tell that it wasn't, though, as the pain throbbing in his arm was all too real. He exhaled long and hard after tucking away the hefty tool. He cradled his broken arm in his good one as he stood in complete silence – he hadn't even noticed Midna grabbing the piece of the Mirror of Twilight they were after.

"Finally, we got it," the imp said as she held it in her hair-hand, "Just two more left."

Link didn't respond; he didn't even acknowledge that she had said anything.

Midna followed his line of vision to see the still form of Yeta on the floor. She could easily tell that he was upset about hurting her.

"I'm sure she's alright, Link," she soothed.

He said nothing.

She decided to keep talking anyway, "To think the Mirror of Twilight has the power to change people like that… This world – _all_ worlds – can be cruel."

When the sound of the door opening reached the duo's ears, Midna hastily fled into her partner's shadow.

Link turned to see the tall form of Yeto standing over the threshold with a look of pure fear on his beast-like features, "Yeta!"

The large beast charged through the room like mad to get to his wife, nearly plowing into the hero as he did so. When he reached her, he looked down at her worriedly.

"Uh… Uh… What… What wrong with me?" Yeta whispered as she came to.

Link sighed inwardly in relief; he had been so frightened that he had hurt her – thank the Goddesses she didn't remember what happened.

"Very strange…" Yeto replied as he propped her up, "You just dreaming, uh."

Yeta glanced around the room in a bit of a daze until she noticed that the plinth where she had been keeping the mirror piece was empty, "Yeto! Mirror you gave…"

Her husband shook his head, "Forget mirror, Yeta. Look into eyes of Yeto… Look in reflection of Yeto's eyes. There true beauty!"

When his wife smiled, he beamed from ear to ear as he lifted her up into his arms, "Who need mirror?"

"My love, uh!" her grin was all he needed in the world. He pulled her in tight and they embraced.

Link couldn't help but smile at the display, but at the same time, it was like a knife in his heart – he wanted nothing more than to know that feeling for himself.

After a long and loving hug, Yeto set his wife down and turned to Link, "Thank you, human."

Link half-smiled, "You're welcome."

"Yeta is world to Yeto. Without human, Yeta would have…" the yeti shook his head, "Human saved wife. Human is welcome to mansion always."

Link nodded in appreciation, "Thank you."

"You come back and have Yeto's soup, uh!"

Yeta stepped forward with a happy grin, "Cute little human come back to snows and race, uh!"

Link smiled, "I will come back, but for now I have to be on my way."

"Yeto and Yeta thank you, human! Come back to snows and visit soon!" and with that, Yeto scooped his wife up into his arms and they headed out the door.

Midna came out of the shadows with a smile on her face, "I'm glad it all worked out."

"Yeah," Link smirked as he watched the couple leave.

Midna then created a portal in the center of the room and asked, "Ready to go?"

The hero nodded wearily as he stepped into the black circle and the pair was whisked away into the sky.

When sight returned to him, he found himself standing in the middle of Hyrule field on four painful legs. It was the middle of the day and the sun was nearing its highest point in the sky. Midna returned him to his human form and he winced at the transformation. He was so exhausted and his body was aching so terribly that he knew he couldn't make it to Kakariko on foot.

He looked around him, searching in areas he knew that the horse grass Epona liked typically grew. A few feet away, beside a small boulder, he spotted a patch of the horseshoe shaped weeds. He plucked it and blew into the bulb two times before dropping it to the ground. While he waited for his mare to appear, he took it upon himself to rest on the grass.

"Are you gonna be okay?" his partner asked.

He nodded, but said not a word.

"You look horrible," she teased, trying to get some reaction out of him.

He smiled crookedly, "Thanks."

She looked him over – he truly did look horrible, "How's your arm?"

"I think I broke it even more," he stated plainly and without even taking a moment to think on it.

Midna sighed, wishing she could be more help to him than she was.

A distant galloping brought the hero to his feet to greet his best friend. Epona made her way over to him with neighs and whinnies abound, showing her master just how happy she was to finally get to see him again. He gave her a weak pat on the neck as he proceeded to get up into the saddle. He was surprised at just how much difficulty he had in hoisting himself on top of his mare; it took every last drop of energy in his tired body to get himself into the seat.

He spurred Epona towards the village, and she headed in that direction with haste. She could sense that her rider wasn't faring well, so she knew that she needed to run smoothly but also quickly so as to get him to aid.

He leaned forward and rest his upper half on his mare's neck, clutching for dear life onto her mane with his left hand as she sprinted. Keeping himself steady in the saddle was nearing impossible when the village finally came into view. He could make out the spirit's spring and the sanctuary before his vision started to blur.

Everything before him quickly became a fuzzy distortion of oranges and browns, and he was soon unable to distinguish different shapes. A faint call on the air stung in his long, Hylian ears. He wasn't sure if it was the cries of monsters, the sounds of animals, or the yells of the children – with his currently hazy senses, it could have been anything.

He reopened his eyes just a slit, only to be greeted with a tidal wave of nausea. He attempted to look in the direction he thought he heard the sounds come from, but all he could make out were different colored forms running towards him amongst the darker hues of the earth. Vertigo swirled around in his foggy mind and even though the various shapes around him had come to a standstill, his brain continued to swirl around in dizzying circles. The strange sounds he had heard moments earlier had now intensified, and he could hear them far to his right, but he was still at a complete loss as to what those bizarre noises were linked to.

When the now-immense task of keeping himself up had become too difficult, his drained body began to slip from the saddle in slow motion. Blackness slowly crept into the outskirts of the watercolor that was his vision like a snake. The dizziness of his mind prevented him from even being aware that he was falling as he had already felt as if he was spinning to begin with. Nothingness swept over him in a flurry and claimed him before his body even grazed the dirt.

* * *

_**True strength is being able to continue on when you are ready to fall at any moment.**_


	37. A Cause

**A/N:**_ This chapter was revised as of 12/15/13 – Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 37: A Cause

**.:.**

The time that had passed from when the children in Kakariko last saw their hero seemed to drag on endlessly.

The kids bugged Renado incessantly about when he anticipated Link's return, but he was never able to give them a decent answer. When the day came that marked the first week of Link being gone, the children took turns waiting at the north and south entrances to the village in order to greet their big brother when he would come back to them. They simply sat on the dirt in the farthest possible spot they were allowed to go, which was where Mister Renado could still keep an eye on them.

They went to their respective spots first thing in the morning, directly after lunch, and for a little bit after supper each and every day. But when the sun would finally set showing them that another day had passed without the return of their hero, their hearts ached a little more.

When the second week passed them by, the kids began to grow frantic. The kind, old shaman had done his best to remind the young ones that there were numerous occasions so far in which Link had taken much longer to return. That set their weary minds ablaze, though, thinking that he could take even longer this time around. Renado soothed them by telling them that he was sure that Link wouldn't be gone much longer, and he prayed to the Goddesses every evening that he was right.

On a certain chilly day in the middle of the third week of the hero's absence, the children were all gathered in the inn for their morning meal just as they usually were.

"Bread and cheese! Yeah!" Talo shouted enthusiastically as a wooden plate was placed before him by Ilia.

Beth rolled her eyes, "You get excited no matter what the food is, Talo."

"So what!" the boy yelled through a mouthful of bread.

"We've had this four times already this week," Malo muttered negatively, staring down at his plate of dark rye bread and cheddar cheese.

"Don't complain," Luda chimed in, "We could very well be without any food. I am grateful that I am able to eat."

Renado smiled as he approached the table and placed a hand on his daughter's back, "Luda is right – we are very fortunate that we have food. There are those in our great kingdom that go hungry every day."

"I feel sad for them," Colin said truthfully, "But I know that Link is helping them all while he's away!" he finished with a grin.

Malo raised his eyebrow, "He's not feeding the hungry, he's killing things."

Colin shot him an angry look, "He's doing everything he can to help everyone!"

"Just because he isn't literally _handing_ food to the hungry doesn't mean that they aren't being touched by his deeds," Luda added wisely.

"Yeah!" Talo threw in despite his full mouth.

Malo simply rolled his eyes and returned to his plate without a word.

Mindless chatter continued on throughout their breakfast until everyone was done. The children all pitched in and helped Ilia clean up after their meal, even despite the littlest ones' protests.

Just as they were finishing up washing the last of the dishes, an approaching noise from just outside the inn caught everyone's attention.

"What was that?" Ilia asked nervously.

"Stay right there, children," Renado demanded as he went to the window beside the door and peered out of it.

At first, he saw nothing, but he could clearly hear the sounds of oncoming hoof beats. As he sat and waited, a familiar form came into his line of sight.

He turned to the children with a smile, "It's someone I think you'll be happy to see," he said as he looked directly at Colin.

Confused, but excited nonetheless, the blond-haired boy darted for the door, eager to see who was waiting on the other side of it. He whisked the door open, and at the bottom of the stairs dismounting his stallion was indeed someone he was happy to see.

"Dad!" Colin yelled as he dashed to his father and leapt into his arms.

Rusl laughed as he caught his boy and held onto him tightly, "Colin, my son! Are you well?" he asked as he pulled away a bit, only far enough so that he could look him over.

He nodded, a huge grin plastered on his young features.

By now, everyone else had filtered out of the inn and began surrounding the visitor.

"Uncle Rusl!" Talo shouted as he, too, jumped at the older man. Even though he wasn't their uncle by blood, it was an endearing term that the young ones had adopted when they were all very small due to everyone being so close with each other back in Ordon.

"Talo! Beth!" he acknowledged them one by one as he saw them, "How great it is to see you all!" he turned to the shaman standing tall at the top of the small staircase, "Thank you, Renado, for taking such good care of Ordon's children."

Renado shook his head, "It is my pleasure. They bring me great joy each and every day."

He smiled and then turned to Ilia who was standing quite a ways behind, still partially inside the inn, "Ilia, I take it you have also been well?"

She furrowed her brow and took a protective step back, "How… How do you know my name?"

He scolded himself mentally; he had forgotten that she had no idea who he was, "I, uh," he stammered as he quickly came up with something to say, "Telma has told me a lot about you."

"Oh, I see…" she said quietly, "Yes, I have been well."

"That is good to hear," he said with a smile before glancing around the village in every direction. He then looked back to the shaman, "Is Link not here?"

The children all frowned and Renado shook his head, "I'm afraid not. Come, let us go inside where we can talk more comfortably."

Everyone followed Renado into the inn and the adults found a seat. The young ones bickered about wanting to go outside to play, but they were told they needed to stay indoors where the older men could keep watch over them; with monsters roaming freely and everything else going on, there was no way they were going to let the children outside unsupervised.

"Renado, friend, how long has it been?" Rusl asked as he got comfortable in his seat and positioned it so that he could see both the shaman and the children. The kids all played with their various toys on the floor, but Ilia sat away from the group under the staircase with a book while Rusl and Renado sat at the table.

"It has been too long. Tell me, how is my old friend, Bo?"

Rusl chuckled, "He's the same as ever."

Renado smiled as he thought of his comrade, but he decided to change the subject, "I know you have not travelled such a distance to engage in small talk, Rusl. So, tell me, why is it you have come?"

"Well," he began, "I've been needing to see my boy, first off. But also, Ashei has been worried sick about Link."

"Ashei?"

"She's a young woman in the resistance. Her and Link travelled to Snowpeak some weeks ago, and she's been hysterical in thinking he's gotten himself killed ever since. Telma asked me if I would come to Kakariko and see if he was here. Have you seen him?"

"He left here nearly three and a half weeks ago, I'm afraid."

"Hm," Rusl thought as he folded his arms over his chest, "I'm worried for him."

"As am I."

The two fell quiet after that, each in deep thought for quite some time. The only sound in the room was that of the children playing their silly games. However, when Colin stood up and looked out the window, he shouted loudly when he spotted something, or someone, in the distance.

"Hey! I see something out there!" the timid boy yelled as he raced for the door.

"Colin! Stay inside!" his father barked as he chased after his son, but he did not listen.

Once he was just outside the inn, he stared long and hard at the figure by the spring. He could make out a vibrantly reddish colored horse with a white mane, and he instantly recognized it to be Epona. As he examined her, though, he didn't see Link at first. After a moment, the small, hunched-over form of his hero could just barely be seen on top of his mount.

Colin glanced over his shoulder to the rest of the group behind him and shouted, "It's Link, everyone!"

The rest of the kids squealed in excitement and they all raced through the dusty village towards the spirit's spring. Ilia began following them until she heard Renado utter something from behind her.

"Something isn't right," the shaman said worriedly as he watched the hero's strange position from afar.

Ilia and Rusl turned to him, "What do you mean? Is he hurt?" the girl asked frantically.

Renado didn't answer, he simply began walking at a fast pace towards the southern end of the village, Rusl and Ilia following quickly at his sides.

"Link!" Colin bellowed with a huge grin as he passed by Malo's shop, all the other kids soon following suit as they, too, called out their big brother's name in sheer excitement.

Something happened at that moment that froze the young ones' hearts in their chests. Just as they were nearing their hero, only a mere dozen feet away, they watched him tumble from the top of his mare and land with a thud on the ground. They all halted instantly in their tracks as they watched the dirt fly up from all around him and Epona rear up and neigh.

Ilia gasped and covered her mouth with her hands in shock. Renado stopped briefly as well, but Rusl was purely petrified. In all the years that he had watched the boy he considered to be his son ride his horse, only once did he ever see him fall from her back. That one time was also the very first time he had met him, when he stumbled into Ordon as a mere child. He had seen Link ride Epona while he was sick, while it was raining, no matter the circumstance, never did he _ever _lose his balance and slide right off the saddle. That simple fact stopped the beating of his heart and planted his feet into the ground.

Ilia was the first to regain control of her body, doing so as soon as she could. She ran up to the motionless form on the ground and simply sat beside him and looked him over; she was too afraid to touch him in fear that she would do more damage. Renado went to him next, kneeling down to his level to quickly examine him and determine if he was safe to move. He had landed on the hard ground on his right shoulder before toppling over onto his back, giving everyone a good look at him.

He was wet and freezing – his clothes were slightly damp, his hair was frosted at the ends, and his purple lips were chattering relentlessly. A bloodied cloth was tied messily around his skull mostly under his cap and a number of small, red scratches and teeth marks adorned the side of his head and his ear. There were large, bloody scrapes on his shins and on his knees. His broken arm, however, drew the most attention as it sat beside him bent in a gruesome fashion.

The children had all approached him slowly by now as well, all looking down at him with worry in their young eyes, for they also had never lived to see a day in which Link had fallen from Epona's back.

Ilia noticed the disturbing twist of the bones in Link's right arm and asked to no one in particular, "Is his arm broken?"

Renado sighed as he slipped his arms underneath the hero's body with care, "It appears so."

The kids watched as the shaman lifted their hero up into his strong arms and headed back towards Elde Inn. Ilia got up from her seat on the ground and after giving Epona a loving pat, she quickly followed at Renado's heels along with the other kids. Rusl, however, didn't break from his trance until they were already ascending the small steps, and he then subconsciously made his way after them.

The shaman realized that it had almost become routine by now – as saddening a discovery as it was – as he carried the young Hylian up the staircase and into the farthest room at the end of the hall where he always stayed during times like this. He set Link down on the clean cot and as soon as Rusl made his appearance, the children were promptly told to leave the room for a few minutes. The hero's temperature was drastically low and Renado knew that he could not warm him up as long as he remained in his wet clothing.

The two older men removed all of Link's damp layers and hung them out the window to dry. Once he was covered with a thin blanket from just above his knees to his stomach, the kids were brought back inside.

With his bare skin exposed, all of his previous and current damage was clearly visible. Immediately overwhelmed, Rusl fell back into a nearby chair and wiped his palms down his face; he had no idea of the physical toll that had been taken on Link's young body. Numerous scars were scattered about his arms, legs, and chest, some minor while some were massive – the older man could only imagine what had inflicted the worst of them.

Renado, however, seemed as if the situation didn't even faze him as he walked calmly about the room gathering his necessary tools before returning to a chair at the hero's bedside. Rusl could only watch from a few feet away.

While the shaman began wrapping Link's arm in a cast, his daughter was working diligently on bandaging his scraped shins and kneecaps. Ilia, Colin, and the other children observed quietly from opposite Renado, most of them being afraid to break the silence.

Colin was the first to take the leap, "Is he okay?"

Renado nodded, not looking up from his work, "I believe he will be."

The young, blond boy's gaze flickered between his brother and his caretaker, "His… arm is broken?"

"It is."

Beth cringed and turned slightly away when she noticed the disturbing bend of Link's wrist.

"You really think he's okay, though?"

Renado looked up into Colin's eyes, "Yes."

"Then… why isn't he waking up?" Talo ventured to ask.

Renado's hands stopped in their motions as he paused to consider the boy's words. It was true, Link usually came to alertness by now, so why hadn't he this time? After all, a broken arm and a few cuts and scrapes were not enough to warrant an extended unconsciousness.

The shaman pressed two fingers to the young man's wrist, noticing immediately that his heart rate was abnormally slow. He then pressed the back of his hand against Link's forehead – it felt almost like touching an icicle. His lips hadn't returned to their normal color, just the same as the rest of his pale skin and his shivering had yet to lessen.

"He's still freezing," Renado whispered to himself as he hastily turned to his daughter, "Luda, are you done with those bandages yet?"

She looked at him, noticing the worried look in his mature eyes immediately, "Um, yes, just about, Father."

"Hurry. We need to wrap him up in blankets," he stated simply as he rushed to a nearby cabinet and took from it at least three or four large quilts. He hurried back to the bed and just after Luda finished by tying off the ends of the last bandage, he laid all of the blankets in his hands on top of the hero, leaving only his mangled arm out in the open so that he could finish his work on it.

"Why is he so cold?" Beth asked.

Renado finished tucking the covers securely around him on all sides to make sure that he was warm before taking a seat and resuming his work, "I do not know why, but he is in a hypothermic state."

"It is because he was on the snowy mountain," Rusl answered quietly, still in a bit of a daze, "He must have been in the snow and blizzard all this time… It's a miracle that he made it to us without freezing to death on the peak."

Renado sighed, not enjoying the pessimistic tone of his words, "Well, he _has_ made it to us, and we all must pray to the Goddesses that he has. Now, as long as we all think positively and as long as he stays warm, he should be just fine."

"Are you sure?" Talo asked as he looked down at Link who lay motionless on the cot. His face was as white as a ghost, making his dark, blue lips stand out even brighter.

The shaman's gaze lingered on the young man's lifeless features as well before returning it to the bandaging of his arm, "Yes, I am."

Ilia, who had been seated in a chair on the opposite side of the bed from Renado, began stroking Link's hair. Bits of frost and clumps of snow fell from his strands as she moved her delicate hand through his damp locks. Colin soon pulled up a seat of his own and sat beside Ilia, resting his head on his arms at Link's side. Luda stood next to her father as she removed the damp, old cloth that was wrapped hastily around the hero's wounded head and replaced it with fresh, clean bandages. Malo sat near the door; he was always the type to not involve himself in many matters that did not concern him, but he found himself worried for their hero – he just didn't want anyone in the room to know it. Lastly, Beth and Talo found seats on the floor near Rusl, for no one wanted to leave Link until they were sure in their hearts that he was alright.

"Renado," Rusl's voice called out, ending the bitter silence.

"Yes?" the shaman responded as he continued his effort.

"Is this… typical?"

Renado glanced up at his old friend, "I do not know what you mean."

"This," Rusl gestured towards the form on the bed, having trouble finding the words, "Link returning this way. This is… normal?"

"I'm afraid so," Renado replied simply.

Rusl leaned forward to rest his elbows on the tops of his knees, "Does he usually take such a long time to return?"

"Most times, no. But the time before this he was gone for four weeks."

Rusl sighed, "I can't even imagine what it is that he's dealing with out there."

"Seeing the horrible state he always returns to us in, I would rather not think about what he's forced to endure."

The room fell quiet for a few moments, everyone collectively contemplating the last statement made by the shaman – even the littlest ones could understand and relate as they had seen him broken too many times already.

Rusl hung his head, "I only wish I could help him more. He's always travelling to every corner of Hyrule, getting himself hurt for the good of our kingdom, and I'm just… _here_," he let out a long exhale, "I feel so useless. I just want to help more."

Renado nodded, "I know how you feel. When he returns to the village in a mangled state such as this, I can't help but feel as if he is carrying a weight that exceeds that of one hundred men. I only wish I could share in the load and ease it a bit from his weary shoulders."

After another long bout of silence, Ilia said barely above a whisper, "Link is foolish."

They all turned at her sudden words and stared at her blankly, expecting her to continue. When no such thing occurred, Renado spoke up.

"And why is that?"

"He's always running off and getting himself hurt for no good reason. And that poor horse of his! Always pushing her to her limits! I just…" she sighed, staring down at Link's closed lids as she continued to stroke his hair, "I worry for him as if he's someone very dear to me, but I hardly know him."

It was silent yet again, everyone in the room struggling to keep the words they all wanted so badly to say locked within their throats.

"Well," the shaman began, once again ending the harsh quiet, "You are correct in the sense that getting himself hurt could be considered foolish, but that is only because he is bravely fighting for our kingdom – every minute of every day that he is gone from us he is protecting us from evil."

"Evil?" Colin asked, looking over at the wise man with a hint of fear in his cerulean eyes.

Renado paused, reminding himself that there were many young ears listening and he didn't want to frighten them any more than they already were.

Instead, Rusl took it upon himself to answer, "Our kingdom is one that is rich in resources and vast in nature, making it appealing to many people far and wide. One such being has cloaked our Hyrule in a dark veil in hopes to take it for his own," he explained slowly and calmly, the children all leaning in and listening attentively, "Link battles this evil in many ways and in many forms. With each passing day he is lessening the malevolent forces that have been working so hard at seizing our land. It is because of Link being '_foolish_' and '_getting himself hurt for no good reason_' that we all are safe."

The room took on yet another long silence after that; those that did not know about what Rusl spoke of were simply dumbfounded. They knew that Link was off doing good for the kingdom, but they thought it was simply helping people and nothing more, they didn't know the severity of the situation – after all, how could they, being mere children?

"I…" Ilia stammered after several moments of quiet pondering, "I'm sorry… I didn't know."

Rusl nodded in her direction, signaling that it was alright; he knew that she didn't know better at the time, but on the same hand, it _did _sound like something the Ilia he knew would say, and that let him know that there was hope in her recovery.

A couple of hours passed by in which everyone mostly kept to themselves. There was light chatter, but nothing of importance. Luda had gone downstairs around midday and gathered a bushel of apples from the kitchen to feed everyone for lunch. The kids gobbled their portions down in no time, but Rusl, Renado, and Ilia found themselves unable to eat. When even more hours ticked away slowly, the children began to grow restless. By the time the sun began to set, the young ones were already nodding off one by one. Usually they were able to stay awake a good two or three hours later than dusk, but with nothing to do but sitting and waiting, their adolescent minds most likely grew tired of the boredom and drifted off.

Throughout the day, Link's shivering diminished slowly, and around the time that the moon and the sun traded places in the sky, his shivers had come to a complete stop. Renado noticed this and removed the now-unnecessary extra blankets that were on top of him, leaving only a single quilt to cover his still-chilled body.

After the shaman placed the unneeded blankets back into the nearby armoire and retook his seat beside the bed, Rusl said something that caught him off guard.

"How many times has this happened?" he spoke quietly so as to not awaken the sleeping ones in the room.

"What?" Renado asked confusedly.

He gestured to Link lying on the bed, "How many times have you had to put him back together?"

The shaman sighed, averting the other man's gaze momentarily, "Do you really need to know?"

"Yes," his answer was sharp and instantaneous.

Renado hung his head and thought on the number before saying, "I'm not exactly sure. Six… maybe seven times thus far."

Rusl got to his feet in a huff and walked over to the open window, interlacing his fingers behind his head as he did so, "I don't understand…"

The shaman turned and looked at his friend, his back to him as he looked through the window. Rusl could feel his eyes staring at the back of his head so he went on, "I don't understand why he has to go through this."

Renado exhaled again, "I've pondered that very thing myself, but do you know what I've come to realize?"

Rusl turned around and met his stare, signifying that he was interested in what he was going to say next.

"It is him simply because it can only be _him_. He is the only one that can do it."

The Ordonian threw his hands down to his sides in anger, "But why? He's still so young, why should he have to put his life in danger constantly? Why not someone older who has lived and doesn't have as much to lose?"

"I understand your frustration…" Renado paused, thinking of what to say, "I think you should speak with him about it when he wakes up, maybe hearing the words from his mouth will give you a better understanding."

Rusl's eyes remained on those of the healer, considering his words long and hard before giving in, "Alright."

Only minutes later, Link began to stir. Renado quickly turned to face him and Rusl made his way to the side of the bed next to the shaman. The hero grumbled a bit before his eyes began slowly fluttering open.

"Link," Rusl called quietly, "Can you hear me?"

"Give him a moment," Renado whispered.

His eyes, which were barely open a slit, glanced around the room. His brow was tight when his vision finally locked on that of his father-figure. His mouth opened slightly to say something but only quiet mumbling escaped his lips. He then proceeded to try and sit up, the covers falling from his torso as he did so. He looked around the room at the children, at the two older men, even down at himself as if he was completely lost.

"Lay back down, Link," Renado said calmly as he placed a gentle hand on the hero's chest, trying to ease him back down to the cot.

Link did so without protest, staring back at him through glassy eyes as if in a stupor.

"Link, can you talk to me?" Rusl asked anxiously.

"Rusl, I don't think he's-"

"R…Rusl?" the young man muttered almost inaudibly.

Rusl nodded, "It's me, my boy. Are you feeling alright?"

Link looked back at him with blankness on his tired features; he appeared as if he wasn't present in his own body. After a few moments of silence, his eyes began to flicker shut and he was soon after yanked back into unconsciousness.

"What's wrong? Is he alright?" Rusl questioned desperately.

"His mind and body both are just simply exhausted. He has clearly undergone some great ordeal and needs his rest," Renado answered. When he noticed that the other man still didn't seem entirely comforted, he added, "He is going to be just fine. He merely sleeps, that is all."

It was quiet for quite some time after that. The shaman could tell, though, that Rusl's worries had decreased greatly with his last words. Finally breaking the silence, the Ordonian decided he had something important to say to his friend.

"Thank you."

Renado turned to him, "Whatever for? I already told you that caring for the children is a pleasure."

He shook his head, "I _am_ thankful for that, but what I'm referring to this time is Link. If you hadn't been here time and time again to fix him up and mend him when he's broken…" he stopped to ponder it, "I don't even want to think about what would have happened to him if you weren't always here for him."

The wise healer shook his head and tried to protest, but Rusl continued.

"There truly aren't enough words to say my thanks to you."

Renado smiled warmly, "I appreciate your words, but I want you to know that I have grown deeply fond of the boy myself. If anything were to happen to him before he could get to me or while he was under my care, I don't think I could live with myself."

The two men were noiseless for a moment, each one contemplating their thoughts.

"Knowing that he is constantly putting his life on the line in order to save everyone in Hyrule, it only feels right that I do whatever I possibly can for him while he's here," Renado explained, "He is always so selflessly doing for others what others rarely ever do for him. It puts my heart at ease knowing that he can come here for at least a day's respite, a day of love and comfort from all who simply adore him in this village. I feel that it is the absolute _least_ I can do for such a brave and noble hero."

Rusl smiled – he only hoped that Link's father and mother could hear from the heavens just how much their son was cherished.

"What I am saying is…" the shaman began, "Although your thanks are appreciated, they are not needed. It gives me such joy to care for Link and to know that I am doing my part. All I ask of you is this: find _your_ part, and play it to the best of your abilities."

The other man fell silent, a serious look on his mature features as he thought long and hard on what his old friend had said. He knew it was imperative that he find his place, a place in which he could come to the aid of his beautiful Hyrule. The kingdom was in a dire situation, there was no doubt about it; he simply did not know where to begin. It was true, he had been feeling useless; he knew he needed to find something, anything, that he could do to help not only the cause, but to help Link.

He would stop at nothing to do all that he possibly could to help the hero - no, to help his _son_.

* * *

_**Something worth fighting for.**_


	38. Blessings in Disguise

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 12/15/13 – Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 38: Blessings in Disguise

**.:.**

When the sun woke up the next day, so, too, did the children in Kakariko.

Renado had gone into the adjacent room to get only a mere two or three hours of sleep while Rusl remained wide awake, watching over Link, throughout the entirety of the night. As soon as the kids were awake, they made sure of it that everyone else in the inn was as well. They immediately saw that their uncle was up and even though they were saddened that Link still slept, Rusl assured them that he was alright. After dragging the grownups downstairs, they proceeded to prepare breakfast.

"Can we have oats today?" Beth asked politely, tugging on Ilia's long blouse. She had become somewhat of a mother-figure to the young ones since their time in the foreign village began. Even though, in her mind, she had only just met them, she had an overwhelming feeling of need to take care of them.

"Sure," the older girl said sweetly as she gathered the things she would need.

"YES! OATS!" Talo screamed loudly as he simultaneously began running around the room like a cucco with its head cut off.

Rusl gave a hearty laughter, "Oh, how I have missed your limitless energy, Talo."

"Then take him with you. _Please_," Malo muttered under his breath.

As Ilia began preparing the morning meal, everyone else took a seat at the large, round table in the center of the room. Most of the children were capable of sitting patiently, Talo, however, was fidgeting like crazy in an attempt to contain himself.

"Did you stay up all night, dad?" Colin asked as he turned to look at his father.

"Yes, I did. I wanted to make sure that Link was alright."

"Is he?" Beth questioned.

"Yes, he is," Rusl nodded.

Beth seemed unconvinced as she then directed her question to the shaman.

"He is fine," Renado reiterated, "He should wake up later today."

The oats took some time to cook, but when they were finally done, Ilia served some out to all the children; Renado and Rusl insisted that she didn't wait on them, so they served themselves. Each person now with their bowls placed in front of them, began eating happily – Ilia had always been a great cook.

Meanwhile, upstairs in the farthest room down the hall, the hero began to stir in his bed. His eyes slowly began to flit open, his lids blinking multiple times as his vision sluggishly returned to him. When his senses fully awakened, he didn't understand where exactly he was or what had happened. He sat up and looked down at himself, noticing that his right arm was wrapped up nicely. He glanced around the room, seeing no one in sight. That was, until his shadow took form and greeted him.

"Morning, sleepyhead."

He paused, taking a moment to find his voice, "'Morning'?"

She nodded, "Yeah. You slept all day yesterday and all night. Such a lazy wolf."

He looked around again, still in a bit of a dazed confusion.

"We're in Kakariko, in case you hadn't figured that out," she said as she folded her arms over her chest.

He nodded slowly, trying to remember what happened. That thought was gone from his mind, however, as soon as he went to swing his legs over the side of the bed and realized that he was without any form of clothing on whatsoever.

"Uh… Midna?"

"Yes?"

"Do you mind, um… looking the other way?"

"Why?"

"So I can get dressed…"

"Oh, that?" she said with a wave of her hand, dismissing his words, "I've already seen you naked so don't worry about it."

The hero's face instantly flushed a deep shade of crimson, "Wh-What?"

"Yeah. Yesterday when your clothes were soaking wet, they had to get them off of you so you could get warm."

His eyes were wide as he stared back at her completely dumbstruck. It was when she just had to add one last little bit that really disturbed him.

"I guess the Goddesses made you their hero in more ways than one, didn't they?" she teased with a mischievous grin and a wink.

"Oh Gods!" Link shouted in embarrassment, immediately covering his beet-red face with his hands, "For Din's sake, Midna!"

The imp grabbed at her sides as she burst into fits of hysterics.

Knowing that his partner was too busy laughing to see it coming, and also knowing that she had given herself physical form, he grabbed the pillow he had been resting on and threw it at her with all his might. Her giggles were cut off by an '_oomph_' as she fell to the wooden floor. He looked at her as she stared blankly up at him, expecting her to start yelling at him. Instead, she simply resumed laughing.

"You crack me up," she finally stated after she had calmed down a bit.

"I'm glad you could find my discomfort entertaining," he said sarcastically with a smirk.

"Yeah, yeah," she giggled, turning around and covering her eyes, "Go ahead and get dressed."

He smiled before making sure that she wasn't looking. He darted over to where his pile of things lay on a nearby chair and whisked on his pants, being careful of his bandaged shins and knees.

Midna turned around, hoping to catch him before he was done and fluster him even further, but she was too late. Link chuckled at her attempt.

"Are you feeling alright?" she asked, changing the subject as she really took in how worn out he still looked.

He took a moment to think on it, "I'm not feeling great, but I'll manage."

She gave a weak smile; he would always tell her he was alright even if he was on his death bed, "How's your arm?"

He glanced down at the sling wrapped around it, "It's… not bad."

Midna could instantly see right through that lie. She placed her hands on her hips and demanded, "Okay, now tell me the truth."

He smirked, "How do you see right through me every time?"

"Because I know you. Tell me the truth."

He sighed and gave a chuckle, scratching the back of his head with his good hand before answering, "It hurts pretty bad."

"Tell the old shaman guy that it hurts, okay? Don't sit there telling him you're alright if you're not. How are they supposed to fix you up if you don't tell them what needs to be fixed?"

"You're right, you're right. I'll tell him, okay?"

She stared him down, "I mean it! You better, or else I'm gonna turn you into a wolf and just leave you stranded somewhere for a few days to think about it!"

Link couldn't help but laugh, "Alright, Midna. I will."

Link had come to realize that Midna was the only thing that was keeping him sane on this Goddess-forsaken journey. Without her, he didn't have any idea where he would be – and he didn't want to think about it.

When he suddenly heard sounds of laughter coming from the lower level of the hotel, he made his way out of the room he was occupying. He began descending the staircase slowly, his left arm grasping the banister as he went. The closer he got to the first floor, the easier it was to make out what was being said.

"So GOOD!" Talo yelled as he shoveled one massive spoonful of oatmeal after another into his mouth.

"Slow down, Talo!" Beth scolded, "You're going to choke!"

The boy shook his head as he gobbled down another huge bite.

"Link!" Colin suddenly shouted when he noticed the hero standing on the flat portion of the stairwell just above the first few steps. Everyone turned to look at what Colin was screaming about. The young boy got up from his seat, ran over to his brother, and leapt up the stairs at him.

Link let out an involuntary '_oof_' as Colin rammed into his injured arm. He smiled down at him through a pained grimace while the boy looked up at him simply beaming from ear to ear; he was just so happy to see him awake and well. Before the adults could even realize what was happening, the rest of the youngest children ran up and bombarded Link along with Colin. They all wrapped their arms around him as they screeched his name in excitement.

Renado quickly got to his feet and made his way over to the group as soon as he noticed the discomfort on the young man's face, "Children, please, let's give Link some space."

The kids did as they were told and backed up considerably. Link wavered a bit when they released their hold on him, the pain of the pressure on his arm causing him to get a bit dizzy.

Rusl stood from his seat and approached the hero, placing his palms gently on Link's shoulders to steady him as he said, "You shouldn't have gotten out of bed, my boy. You need to rest until you are fully healed."

Link furrowed his brow as he stared at the man before him, "Rusl?" he whispered confusedly.

Rusl nodded, realizing that he obviously didn't remember speaking briefly with him the night prior.

"What are you doing here?" Link asked.

"We'll talk about it later. For now, why don't you come sit and have some breakfast?" Rusl suggested as he helped Link to the table.

Rusl motioned for Ilia to prepare Link a serving and she did so. When she turned and proceeded to offer him the food, her cheeks flushed a bright shade of crimson upon seeing his bare chest in front of her. She quickly placed the bowl down in front of him and went hastily back into the kitchen. Link paid her actions no mind, having not even realized anything had happened at all due to how downright hungry he was. He instantaneously began eating at a rapid speed.

Rusl chuckled at how fast the hero was devouring his food, "I take it you were hungry?"

"Famished," Link replied in between bites.

"Goodness, dear boy, slow down! You could even give Talo a run for his money," Renado said, causing everyone at the table to laugh, excluding Talo, of course.

"Hey!" the brunet boy shouted.

In a matter of minutes, Link's dish was empty, and he let out a long exhale when he was done.

"Feel better?" the shaman asked.

Link nodded, "Yes, very much. Thank you."

"Thank Ilia, she is the one that prepared that delicious meal," Renado said, turning to the girl as he mentioned her.

Link promptly thanked her and she blushed, "It's nothing, really. I enjoy cooking for all of you."

"Link," Colin called, instantly changing the subject and drawing the group's attention elsewhere, "Are you really okay?"

Link smiled and nodded, "I'm really okay."

"But…" the small boy began, looking down at his hands fidgeting in his lap, "But you fell off Epona… that never happens."

Link looked to Rusl and Renado, glancing between the both of them as he said, "I did?"

Rusl sighed, turning away from his stare. Renado opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by Beth and Talo.

"You mean you don't remember? How come?"

"Probably because he was unconscious! Duh, Talo!"

"No one asked y-"

"Children," Renado stopped them simply with his calming voice. He then turned to the hero, "Link, why don't we get you upstairs so that I can re-bandage the wound on your head?"

Link nodded and he, Renado, and Rusl made their way to the second story of the inn. The shaman instructed the children that they were to stay indoors but that they needed to give them a few minutes to speak with Link privately. Once they were in the room, Link lay down on the soft cot and the shaman sat in a chair beside the bed, beginning to take off the stained cloth around his skull as he did so.

"Something got you pretty good there," Rusl stated, noticing the deep puncture wounds and cuts in his head as he sat on a stool opposite Renado.

"Yeah," Link admitted, remembering the event bitterly.

They were all quiet for a few moments after that, none of the three knowing exactly what to say.

"Rusl," Link started, finally breaking the silence, "When did you get here?"

"Ah, just before you did, actually. I believe there was only an hour, at most, between our arrivals."

"And that was…?" Link trailed off, unsure of the day.

"Yesterday."

Link nodded, "I see… Why is it you've come? I'm guessing it was more than just seeing the children."

"You are correct in that assumption. I also came to see if you were alright. Ashei has been absolutely worried sick over you since you've been gone."

"Oh," Link said, instantly remembering the girl he had travelled to the snowy mountain with and how she had insisted he let her know as soon as he was safe, "I feel horrible. I should have let her know I was alright before coming here."

"No, no," Rusl stated firmly, shaking his head, "It is good that you came here first, otherwise you could have been a goner."

"You're right. I just hate to make people worry over me."

"You might as well get used to it," Renado added as he began tying up the bandage, "For it seems that is all any of us do anymore."

Link heaved a sigh, "I'm sorry."

"Do not apologize," the shaman said with such a tone that would make the wisest man feel inferior, "It is not by your choice that you return to us in the state that you do. Just keep coming back to us alive, my son, and all will be well with me."

Link feigned a smile, "Yeah," he whispered, more to himself than anyone else.

The other two men in the room were quiet as the healer began prodding and examining Link's arm, "You broke your arm pretty bad as well."

Link nodded, looking down at what the healer spoke of momentarily before meeting his gaze yet again.

"Your humerus has multiple hairline cracks and severs along it, as does your ulna. However, the radius, the front and topmost bone in your arm," Renado explained, pointing out each bone on himself as he named them, "you managed to almost completely shatter. How that happened, I have not a clue, but it will take quite some time for it to heal. Your carpals, the bones in your wrist, also took quite the beating."

"For Din's sake, Link," Rusl muttered, almost sounding aggravated, "What on Farore's green earth were you doing that caused you to mangle your arm so horribly?"

Link didn't look up at him as he thought of what he was going to say, "I was battling a monster that had an enormously heavy metal ball and chain. It hurled it at me and… I just wasn't quick enough. It completely destroyed my shield."

Rusl sighed as he hung his head low, concentrating his line of sight on his dirty, old sandals.

"I'm sorry if you're disappointed…" Link admitted quietly.

Rusl looked up at him with a deeply furrowed brow, "What in Hyrule would I be disappointed in you for?"

"You taught me how to fight… I should be better. I shouldn't be so careless, so weak, so-"

His father figure raised his hand to silence him, "Don't say another word. You have nothing to be sorry for, and I could never be disappointed in you. From what I've heard from Renado, you've had quite the adventure so far and have saved a number of people's lives. How could anyone be disappointed in you when you've done so much good?"

Link smiled, but uttered not a word.

Renado stood from his seat, "I will leave you two to talk. I feel that you have much to discuss," he said as he headed for the door.

They both were silent for what felt like an eternity after that, neither one knowing what to say even though they each had so much that they _wanted_ to say.

Rusl finally took the leap, "Link… Renado has told me about your frequent absences and about the terrible manner that you always return here in. I would appreciate it if you could explain this to me."

Link was still, "Well, uh," he stammered, scratching the back of his head – mindful of his injury – as he did so, "What has Renado told you?"

"Only that you are gone quite often and for long periods of time only to return to him severely injured. I know only minor details about your… hero-business. So, if you could…"

"I wouldn't really know where to begin," Link gave a grim chuckle.

"At the beginning," Rusl said simply.

Link drew in a deep breath and just started talking. It had been such a long time since he had last been able to actually sit down and have a conversation with the man he considered to be his father – it was long overdue. Not only that, but he so desperately needed someone to vent to, someone to let all of his emotional turmoil and distress out on, and he was so glad he was being given that opportunity.

He told him about the temple deep within the forest and how he cleansed the evil from it. He told him about learning to wrestle with Mayor Bo and about besting the rock people in a match of strength. He told him about saving the Goron patriarch, Darbus, from the malevolence that purged him in the Goron Mines deep within Death Mountain. He told him about discovering Ilia in Telma's Bar and how devastated he was to learn that she didn't remember him. He told him about escorting the barmaid and his best friend to Kakariko, and about how the Zora prince, Ralis, almost didn't make it. He told him about Lake Hylia being void of water, about Zora's River being frozen over, and how he dove down into the depths of the lake in order to restore it to its rightful nature. He told him about meeting the beautiful princess of Hyrule and about how she told him to travel deep within the woods in order to take up the legendary blade of heroes of old. He told him about the forsaken desert and how he spent weeks under the scorching sun until he finally made it to the doomed Arbiter's Grounds where he once again ended a wicked presence that plagued it. Lastly, he told him of how he scaled the snowy mountain and came face to face with friendly giants that took him in and helped him to end the evil that inhabited their home.

When Link was finally done, he simply looked to his mentor for some kind of response. Rusl, however, seemed flabbergasted and was at a complete loss of words. It took a few minutes before the Ordonian could conjure up his voice.

"I had no idea that you had accomplished so much," he said almost inaudibly, "I had no idea you had travelled so far and seen nearly every point in our great land. You have done so much in your short time, more than I have yet to do in this life."

Link frowned and opened his mouth to stop him from berating himself, but Rusl cut him off.

"Don't say it isn't true, because it is. But it's alright, you have become more than I could have ever hoped to be," he smiled.

Link returned the gesture with a crooked smile of his own, not wanting to make his father-figure feel mediocre.

Rusl lost his train of thought as his eyes began scanning over Link's bare chest. He looked at his scars, their numbers great. The hero noticed what he was staring at and spoke up.

"They don't hurt anymore, Rusl," he was quick to say, not wanting the older man to worry over him.

Rusl shook his head, "I was just curious as to how you got so many."

Link paused, unsure if Rusl was really ready to hear everything that he had been through. When the man's gaze didn't falter, Link gave in.

"Do you know what a Deku Baba is?"

"Those are the vicious, live plants, correct?"

Link nodded and then pointed to two round scars on his left side and three on his right, "One of them got a hold on me and sunk its teeth into my sides when I was in the temple in Faron Woods. And all these," he pointed out two rather small, yet gruesome, marks on his lower abdomen as well as another near his clavicle, "are arrow wounds. The one in my chest I got while escorting Ilia here, and the other two I got when I was crossing the desert."

Rusl grimaced at the thought. He had had the misfortune of being shot with an arrow in his younger years when he had been battling in a feud between neighboring kingdoms, but that had only been to his forearm – he couldn't fathom the pain of taking a projectile to his back, much less his chest.

"And that one?" Rusl asked, gesturing at the large, horizontal discoloration on Link's left side.

"That… I got from the massive troll that tried to make off with Colin."

The older man's face almost lost all its color, "…What?"

Link went silent, perplexed by his level of confusion, "…Did you not know?"

Rusl was quiet, obviously still in shock.

"I thought that Renado would have told you about it…" Link said as he began to explain, "When the kids first arrived in Kakariko, after I discovered them and was assured of their safety, I left to seek Bo's help with befriending the Gorons. As I was returning, I saw the same ogre that killed my father and mother kidnapping Colin and running off with him."

Link could tell that Rusl was growing livid, for he noticed him clenching his fists at his sides. He didn't know if he was angry at him for letting his son get taken, or if he was angry at himself for not being present when such a thing was occurring.

The hero continued, "I chased him down, fought him on the bridge of Eldin, and took back Colin. The beast got me at the end, though, but we both made it back safely."

Rusl hung his head and the room fell silent for what felt like hours before he finally said, "There are not words enough to justify my thanks."

Link shook his head, "There's no need-"

"But there is," Rusl interrupted, "It should not be your responsibility to safeguard the children, and yet, it always seems to fall to you."

"I recall you saying nearly the same thing back when I rescued Talo from the monkeys."

"And you said to me, '_I'll keep protecting them as long as I live_.'"

Link simply nodded, saying not a word.

Rusl gave a half-hearted grin in return, "You've grown into an amazing young man; more than anyone could have ever foretold, I'm sure. If you feel that my thanks are unnecessary, then at least let me say how important you are to all of us, and how deeply I appreciate your every action."

Link smiled, "Thank you, Rusl. Your words mean more to me than you know."

"Then that makes two of us," the older man said happily.

The two were quiet again after that, both contemplating what they had just spoken of. Rusl's mind was reeling as questions and perplexities ran rampant in his tired head. He remembered the conversation he and the shaman had had the night prior about Link's destiny, and that was when he knew just what he wanted to ask his son about next.

"The Goddesses have chosen you, then?" his voice abruptly cut through the stillness, snapping the hero from his thoughts.

Link looked up at him, a bit confused by the sudden change of tone, but answered simply, "Yes."

Rusl leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He looked down at Link's left hand as it lay across his midsection, and glimmering slightly upon its top was the Triforce. He reached and grabbed the young man's hand in his own, examining the sacred triangle a bit closer.

"I remember seeing this mark here when you were younger," he explained, a calmness in his voice, "At first, I thought my eyes were simply playing tricks on me, but when I saw it again only days prior to your trip to the castle, I knew you would end up doing more than I ever dreamt possible. Most Hylians would consider seeing this upon their flesh to be a divine blessing, a gift from the Goddesses themselves, but that is because they don't understand what comes along with it. When I see it upon you, I only think of it as a curse."

Link was quiet, his eyes locked onto those of his mentor as he listened intently to his words.

"The Goddesses have placed the weight of the world on your shoulders. They have placed the fate of everything and everyone upon you. You are so young, with so much life left to live. I do not understand why our divine gods would cause you so much suffering, so much hardship. I do not find it fair that a young man should have to put his life in constant danger for a world that doesn't even care to know him."

"Rusl," Link chuckled slightly, "It is not a curse by any means."

Rusl's brow furrowed in complete shock and confusion at the lightheartedness the hero took on about the situation, but he kept his mouth shut, eager to hear what Link had to say.

"A curse is defined as something that plagues you, something that prevents you from living and being happy… None of that defines me. Our world is being threatened, putting everyone I love in danger. A curse, to me, would mean that I would be unable to do anything to help. I consider this a blessing because I am given the opportunities to make it right and to save those at risk," he continued with a small smile gracing his mouth, "I will not deny that it is hard, nor the fact that I have come close to death, but I would not trade this fate for anything. I'm glad the Goddesses have faith in me, for it is because of them that I am able to protect those important to me."

Rusl sat in silence, at a complete and utter loss for words. When several heartbeats signaled that much time was passing by in quiet, he finally found his voice again.

"Renado was right," he began as he glanced down at his clasped hands before looking back up at the hero, "We were talking last night, and I started to get frustrated at the fact that I felt you were burdened with too heavy a destiny. He corrected me, telling me that only you can do this and that you have gracefully accepted that fate. I didn't quite believe him, so he told me that I should discuss it with you, that hearing the words from your mouth would help me to better grasp the situation and understand how invested you are into this. He was right. Listening to the way you speak of it now…" he paused, trying to collect his thoughts into solid terms, "It's simply unbelievable."

Link was quiet; he wasn't sure if it was unbelievable in a good way or a bad way.

"The simple fact that you are still so young and yet so very wise and courageous beyond your years astounds me. I know of men twice, even triple, your age with not even half of the bravery and selflessness you possess."

"I had a great role model," Link said genuinely.

Rusl's lips curled up into a smile, "Thank you, my boy, but I could never take credit for the man that you've become. I believe it is because of the hardships and the loss that you've had to endure that have helped you to become stronger. Despite that, you were always destined for greatness."

Link smiled in return, "Thank you."

Rusl looked back down at Link's left hand, gazing closely at the single triangle of the three that was glowing the brightest, "Now, then, did the Goddesses happen to mention which portion of the Triforce clings to you?"

"I didn't speak with the actual _Goddesses_, Rusl," he chuckled, "But, no, I don't know which part I possess."

"Hm," the older Ordonian thought aloud, "Well… the top piece is power; legends say the ancient, evil king Ganondorf held that one. The left triangle is wisdom, which is passed down through every other generation of princesses of Hyrule. The right-most one, however," he continued, noticing how attentively Link was hanging on his every word, "is courage, and is said to be held by the Goddesses' chosen hero."

Link lifted his left hand and looked closely at the symbol that lay upon it.

"Courage is your piece - your blessing from the Goddesses themselves. I'd say that sounds about right, wouldn't you?"

The hero shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know… I always think of myself as more foolhardy than actually _brave_."

Rusl shook his head, "No, do not think like that. It is only foolish if it is done without thought or reason, and without any visible benefit. Everything you've done has benefited someone or something in one way or another."

Link nodded, but didn't speak after that. He found himself thinking long and hard about discovering which piece of the Triforce rested within him. If he had taken the time to contemplate it before, he was sure he would have figured it out; he just simply hadn't thought much on it. His mother always used to tell him stories about the Hero of Time and how he carried the Triforce of courage. He had always loved hearing those tales – he just wished he could have his mother tell them to him one more time.

"I have one last thing to ask you, my son."

"Anything."

"You said you were at the peak of the snowy mountain, and yet… when you returned to us, you were still practically frozen over. I do not understand how you could have made it all the way to the village in the state you were in; it's at _least_ a three day's ride, even for Epona."

"Uh…" Link stammered, unsure of what to say. He hadn't even thought of the fact that the denizens of Kakariko might start becoming skeptical of his fast-travelling abilities. He took in a deep breath, held it for a moment, and let it out slowly, debating within himself if he was ready to divulge the deepest secret of his journey to Rusl just yet.

He wasn't.

"Could I tell you about it another time? I'm kind of tired…" he lied – well, it wasn't entirely a lie.

"Oh," Rusl said, a bit surprised at that response, "Alright, my boy, get some rest, then. I will see you when you awaken," he said with a small smile before turning and exiting the room, closing the door behind him.

"Nice save," Midna chimed as she came into the light.

Link sighed, running his good hand down his face as he did so, "I didn't know what else to say. I mean, I couldn't tell him about warping; that would just sound insane."

"Yeah, you're right… So, are you actually tired, or did you just say that to avoid his question?"

"I'm not all that tired."

"Yeah, right. Your eyelids are drooping!" she laughed.

He smiled crookedly, "So, maybe I am a little."

"Then get some sleep, big important hero! The faster you heal up, the faster we can get the next mirror piece!"

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled, that silly grin ever plastered on his face as he closed his eyes and slowly drifted off into dreamland.

* * *

_**A curse for most, a blessing for the few that are strong enough to see it as such.**_


	39. Ease the Ache

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 2/25/14 – Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 39: Ease the Ache

**.:.**

"Six weeks?" the hero reiterated, a shocked and disbelieving expression on his features.

"At the very least," Renado replied.

Link sighed, hanging his head to gaze down at the cause of the delay. It was rather early in the morning the day following Link and Rusl's long talk, and as soon as Renado had seen the young man trying to get dressed in his full gear, he immediately barked at him to lie back down.

Six weeks was how long the shaman was saying it was going to take before the hero's arm would be fully healed enough for him to carry on with his journey, and by the distressed look on his young features, Renado could tell that he was not happy to hear that at all.

"What's wrong with that? I assumed that you would be glad to have some time to take a break from all your hard work," the healer pointed out.

"I suppose a respite will be nice," Link mumbled, "I just hate putting off what needs to be done."

"That can wait, my boy. I think you've put the whole of Hyrule before your own wellbeing for far too long now."

"I guess. I just can't stand lying about and feeling useless."

Rusl stood, gathering the hero's attention, "Then come outside with me. The children have been begging to have a few goes with the wooden blades - going on about needing to defend against monsters and such. I'm sure you've got a lot more to teach them than I do."

Link practically soared off of the bed, "I'd love to," he said eagerly, having been in desperate need of putting himself to work – not being able to do anything was like torture to him.

"Now wait just a minute," the shaman interrupted, stopping the two Ordonians in their tracks, "I don't want you injuring that arm any farther."

"I'll see to it that he is extra careful," Rusl stepped in.

Renado seemed unsure, but gave in with a smile and a nod soon after.

Link followed Rusl down the stairs and into the warm air of Kakariko Village. Ilia was seated on the small porch steps of the inn, watching the children as they played with their toy weapons. Colin, Beth, and Talo often engaged in more violent games ever since they were kidnapped in Ordon that dreaded day so many months ago, but perhaps it was good for them to realize the danger in the world and to be prepared for it. Malo did not often partake in their silly games, as he more frequently took to his shop. Colin and Talo always argued over which of them got to play the role of Link each day, while Beth most enjoyed being the damsel in distress. On this day in particular, Colin had won the part of the hero, and Talo played the part of the nasty troll that attacked them.

Link took a seat beside Ilia on the wooden steps while Rusl stood behind them, taking a moment to observe the children at play.

The young girl looked up to see who had come to sit by her. As soon as she realized who it was, she said, "How are you feeling?"

He sat down and got comfortable, resting his good arm on his knee, "Not too bad," he answered honestly.

She smiled, "I'm glad."

Link turned and gazed at the young ones as Colin pranced about as if he was on a horse before letting out a small chuckle.

Ilia noticed this and broke the silence, "I love watching the children."

He looked at her, signaling that she had his attention.

She smiled, glancing back over at the ones she spoke of, "They seem so… happy and carefree, even despite all of the bad things around us."

"That is the innocence of a child."

"It truly is."

"I remember when we-," he immediately stopped himself, but not quick enough to prevent her from giving him a confused look, "Uh, we, as in, one of my friends from my village and myself… we used to play simple games like that as well. I miss it."

Ilia took on a distraught expression, "I cannot remember my childhood."

Link affectionately placed his good hand on her knee, "It will come to you."

The blonde girl gave a sad smile, "I hope you're right."

The hero returned the gesture before concentrating on the game the children were playing.

"I'm going to eat you up!" Talo yelled, his arms up in the air as he wiggled his fingers and drew closer to the girl.

"Oh no!" Beth screeched, her hands on her cheeks in mock despair, "It's a monster! Someone, help me!"

"I'll save you!" Colin jumped in, placing his hands on his hips and standing tall with his chest out, "For I am the mighty Link! No one can beat me!"

"Rahhh! I'll defeat you!" Talo cried as he picked up one of the play swords on the ground.

Colin drew his own toy blade and ran up to the pretend villain. They tapped their fake weapons against each other in almost slow motion – they had become extremely careful about not hurting one another since Talo had given Colin a deep gash on his arm the last time and they both received quite the earful from the shaman.

After only a few swings, Colin slid his sword in between Talo's arm and his side, pretending that it had pierced through his belly.

"Arrrgh! You… got… me!" Talo shouted as he dramatically fell to the floor, flailing his arms about and making an array of growling and grumbling sounds.

"'_Argh_?'" Malo parroted as he approached the group, "Are you a pirate or something?"

Talo's head shot up angrily, "No! I'm that ugly green troll that Link fought off! Can't you tell?"

"Well, you got the ugly part right," his brother mumbled under his breath.

Ilia covered her mouth with her dainty hand as she tried to suppress her giggles at the display. Link, however, was quiet. He simply smiled at the show he had just witnessed, genuinely touched by how the children thought so valiantly of him. He was flattered, but also a bit embarrassed, having not even realized that his cheeks had flushed a deep shade of crimson. Having been so captivated, he jumped slightly when Rusl clapped him abruptly on the shoulders from behind.

"Those kids are somethin' else, aren't they?"

Link gave a short chuckle, "Yeah, they really are."

Rusl walked off the small staircase and extended his hand towards the hero to help him up off the steps. He took it gladly and followed him over to where the children were playing after flashing a quick smile at Ilia.

"Hi, Dad!" Colin waved, "Link!" he yelled excitedly as he ran up to him and wrapped his tiny arms around him as best he could. He drew back only enough to look him in the eyes, "Are you feeling okay today?"

Link nodded, "I'm doing pretty well today. Are you guys practicing with swords?"

"Yeah!" Talo shouted as he jumped to his feet and grabbed his own toy blade, swinging it through the air as he spoke, "We've been getting ready just in case the monsters come back! I'll show 'em who's boss!"

"Not with moves like that, you won't," Malo muttered.

"Hey!" Talo yelled.

"Actually, he's right," Rusl began, stepping closer to the brunet boy, "I think Link might be willing to teach you guys some moves. That is, if you ask nicely."

Colin and Talo gasped loudly in surprise.

"Really, Link? You'll teach us?" Colin asked.

He nodded with a smile.

"YEAH!" Talo shouted energetically.

The blond boy's head drooped, his gaze falling to the dirt beneath his sandals as he said quietly, "I don't know, Link… I'm still kind of scared of _actually_ fighting."

Link knelt down on one knee in order to be at the lad's eyelevel, "Don't worry, it's just a game. You won't ever have to worry about doing any _real_ fighting - leave all that to me," Colin looked up and met his stare as he grabbed the play sword off the ground and extended it towards him, "All you need to worry about is beating Talo. Can you do that?"

Colin grasped the proffered toy, smiling brightly as he exclaimed, "You bet I can!"

Link chuckled as he got to his feet, "That's what I like to hear!"

Ilia watched from afar as the hero leaned down and showed the young boy the proper way to grasp the blade's hilt for optimal performance. There was something that drew her to him that she didn't understand, but she simply couldn't shake it. He wore his typical tan britches, his cream colored undershirt with the sleeves rolled up, and a simple pair of sandals that Renado had lying about the inn. His right arm was bent at the elbow and held up by a cloth sling in order to keep it in place and allow it to heal.

She always found herself getting strangely flustered around him, even more so whenever he was in less than his typical heavy gear that he was usually in. Perhaps it was that his body was so toned that whenever he revealed it by removing some of the extra layers she became embarrassed? No, she shook her head, she barely knew this man; she shouldn't be harboring these kinds of feelings for him. But she could feel her cheeks grow hot even as she simply _thought_ about him – why did she feel like this around him?

"Enjoying the show?"

"Huh, wha?" the sudden voice from behind startled her. She turned to see none other than the shaman and she immediately calmed down, "Oh, sorry, Renado… Yes, yes I am."

"I didn't mean to frighten you," he said as he made his way down the steps. He began to head towards the group in the middle of the village, but stopped when he noticed how flushed the young girl's face was, "Are you alright, my dear?"

"Y-Yes," she stammered, "It's just the heat, that's all."

He could see right through that lie – even though Kakariko always stayed rather warm due to being so close to the volcano, it was still almost winter and the weather was anything but _hot_. Despite this, he played along, "Why don't you head inside and cool off? We wouldn't want you getting ill, now, would we?" he smiled.

She returned the gesture and shook her head, "You're right. Thank you, Mister Renado," and with that, she retreated back into the hotel.

The healer proceeded into the dusty center of the village, halfway in between the sanctuary and the Elde Inn, where the children, along with Link and Rusl, were sparring. He stood on the sidelines a moment, deciding to delay his interruption and let them have their fun for a bit longer.

Currently, Colin and Talo were having a rematch after having received a number of tips Link had given them both. He had shown them the proper way to grasp the hilt, ways to sidestep their opponent, and how to effectively anticipate their enemy's next move. Now, they would see which of them had better retained that information.

Their wooden toys bounced off of each other slowly, but with a bit better precision than their previous go. After only a few swings, Colin executed a swift blow that knocked Talo's blade right out of his hand. It skidded on the dirt some feet away from the brawl, leaving the brunet boy speechless. Colin actually found himself shocked as well.

"Good job, my boy!" Rusl exclaimed, giving his son a firm clap on his back. He stumbled a bit and grinned after finally having realized what happened.

Link picked up Talo's sword and handed it back to him, ruffling his hair as he said, "You did good. You'll get him next time, alright?"

Talo nodded a bit sadly, but with a fierce determination in his young eyes.

"Rusl," Renado stepped forward, extending his hand towards him saying, "This came for you."

The Ordonian furrowed his brow perplexedly, grabbing what the shaman had offered him.

"A letter?" he asked, mostly to himself as he opened it with haste.

"Yes. It was sent to Telma's Bar by the postman, but they told him to instead bring it here, and that's how it came to you," Renado explained.

Rusl opened it quickly, instantly recognizing the handwriting, "It is from Uli."

Colin gasped, "It's from Mom? I wanna see!"

Link watched the expression on his father's face as his eyes darted over the page twice, then three times, before he folded it up and stuck it in his pocket.

"What does it say?" Colin inquired enthusiastically, practically jumping up and down with excitement.

"She said that she hasn't been feeling well. I must go to her," he said vaguely as he began walking towards the inn at a hastened speed.

The kids tried to follow him, but Renado instructed that they stay outside with him instead, allowing Rusl the space to prepare to take his leave. Link, however, darted after him into the decrepit building and up the stairs before stopping in the first room in the hall where Rusl rapidly began gathering his things.

"What do you intend to do?" Link asked from the doorway.

"I will leave now and ride through the night, that way I will arrive in Ordon early tomorrow morning."

When Link suddenly went further down the hall into his chamber and began grabbing his belongings and strapping on all his gear, Rusl followed him confusedly and said, "What are you doing?"

"I'm going with you."

"No," he said plainly, "You need to let that arm heal."

"I'll be fine. I've ridden Epona one-handed before. Remember that summer I broke my wrist when one of the goats got angry and charged me? I still corralled them on Epona just fine for a couple weeks until it healed."

Rusl sighed, taking a moment to think, "You don't have to do this."

"I know - I want to. I need to know that Uli is alright just as much as you. She's the closest thing I've had to a mother since mine was taken from me."

Rusl gave a bit of a disheartened smile, "You know, I don't think Renado will let you leave after only two days of rest."

"That's why you'll be telling him," Link said casually, a mischievous grin on his features as he threw his scabbard on his back.

Rusl smirked, "Oh, is that so?"

Link smiled before changing the subject, "Could you help me?" he asked, gesturing to a buckle across his chest that he couldn't get with only one hand.

"Now, Link," the older man said as he fastened the buckle holding Link's sheath to his back and the one around his waist that held his knapsack, "If you're going to come with me, you have to be careful. I don't want you fighting, or riding hard, or anything that could hurt that arm worse, understand?"

Link nodded, "I understand."

"Good," he stated as he situated his own scabbard into place.

Just as the hero finished pulling on his boots and was ready to go, Rusl announced, "Let us be off."

The two men rushed down the stairs and just as they were almost out the door, a quiet voice from the table stopped them in their tracks.

"Link, are you leaving already?"

He turned around to see Ilia seated with a book, a bit of an angry expression on her feminine features as he replied, "I am."

"What is so important that you would take off with a broken arm?" her tone quickly became thick with ire.

"My mother is ill," he answered without pause.

"Oh, oh my… I-," she stammered, the guilt she felt for her previous attitude obvious to them both, "I'm sorry…"

"It's alright. I will see you soon, Ilia."

They then exited the door and just before they shut it behind them, Ilia blurted, "I hope she is well!"

Link turned and nodded with a half-smile before closing the door the rest of the way and heading out into the daylight. Ilia, having been consumed by embarrassment, let her head fall onto the open pages of her book in shame.

Once outside, they made their way to the spirit's spring where Rusl's stallion was waiting, and also so that Link could call on Epona with the nearby growth of horseshoe grass. The children and Renado quickly took notice of them and followed close behind, ready for an explanation.

"Are you leaving, Uncle Rusl?" Beth questioned.

"Yes, we're going to see Uli."

"I wanna see Mom… Can't I come?" Colin asked.

"I'm sorry, son, but you have to stay here."

"Why!" Colin suddenly burst, "You said Mom's sick; I wanna see her too!"

Rusl knelt down to his level, placing his strong arms on his child's shoulders, "I'm sorry, but it is far too dangerous for you to travel the fields," he paused to wipe a tear from the young boy's cheek, "Mom will be alright, but if I let you come, you might get hurt. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to you, too. Do you understand?"

Colin was silent other than his quiet sniffling.

"I'm only doing what's best, son, I hope you can come to realize that."

Rusl stood and mounted his steed, Link following suit as soon as Epona arrived.

"Link, you are leaving as well?" Renado asked quizzically.

"I am," he nodded apprehensively.

The shaman turned to Rusl, "You approve of this?"

The Ordonian sighed, "Not entirely, no, but I trust his judgment, and I believe that he knows his limits. If he doesn't, I'll make sure he doesn't do anything rash."

Renado didn't seem pleased, but he gave in, sure of the fact that even if he protested, it wouldn't change the hero's decision, "Alright. Be careful, friends. The roads are treacherous during these times."

"We will return as soon as we can," Rusl proclaimed, giving Colin a small smile that he did not reciprocate before spurring his mount out of Kakariko Village.

An hour whisked by in silence as they trekked across Hyrule Field. Winter was almost fully in bloom now. The trees had little to no leaves on their bare branches, very few wild animals made appearances, and the breeze that rustled through the men's short hair was downright bone chilling.

"Perhaps I should have packed boots," Rusl's voice cut through the quiet, "My toes are freezing."

They chuckled in unison, but it was true, Rusl's feet were only covered by the distinctive sandals worn around Ordon. The cold months were not so harsh in their home village. Of course, the temperature was drastically lower than the rest of the year, but they did not see snow, and it was still mostly comfortable outdoors.

Link could tell, though, that Rusl spoke of trivial things simply because something deeper was bothering him below the surface.

"He'll get over it."

"Hm?" the older man turned to him, confused by his sudden statement.

"Colin. He won't stay mad at you for long."

"Oh, yes, I know," Rusl replied, "It just kills me to have him upset for even an instant. I can understand his need to see his mother, but I need to know that he is safe. Am I wrong for making him stay?"

"Not at all," Link answered simply, "The field is teaming with monsters lately and I would hate for him to get caught up in a skirmish again. You are right in not allowing him to come."

"Thank you," Rusl smiled, "That puts my heart at ease a bit."

They were both quiet again after that, the only sound being that of their horses' hooves clopping on the grass and the whistling of the wind past their ears.

"How are you holding up?" Rusl inquired.

When Link seemed unsure of what he meant, he rephrased it, "Are you doing alright riding with only one arm?"

"Yeah, Epona is really good at riding smoothly and she can easily tell what I need her to do without much emphasis from me," he assured, taking a moment to pat his mare's neck lovingly.

"Epona is a fine horse."

Link nodded with a smile, "Yeah… she is."

By the time they reached the outskirts of Faron Woods, it was the middle of the night. An alarming, bitter quiet befell their surrounding area, and Link feared the worst.

"Do you hear that?" Link asked, bringing Epona to a halt.

Rusl did the same, taking a moment to listen for what Link could be referring to, "I don't hear a thing."

"Exactly," the hero remarked, "It's too quiet… Something's amiss."

Rusl glanced about in each direction, "What do you th-," he began, but stopped midsentence and let out a loud grunt, followed by a frightened whinny from his stallion.

Link whirled around to see what was happening. Rusl had been dragged from the top of his steed by his leg and thrown to the ground by a small band of Bokoblins. The creatures' blue and purple skin had allowed them the advantage of remaining unseen in the dark cloak of night, but Link could see them plain and clear now as they attempted to pummel Rusl with their clubs.

Link quickly got out of the saddle just as Rusl was piercing one of the beasts that was on top of him through the chest. The hero hastened to his mentor and drew his blade as they quickly became surrounded. Rusl, still pinned to the ground and unable to get up, continuously sliced through as many foes as he could, grabbing them and flinging them off of him as soon as they expired. Link ran over to the horde on the dirt, stabbing clean through a pile of three Bokoblins that were one on top of the other. He kicked them off of the older man, giving him the opportunity to get to his feet and allowing him to fight properly.

"Thank you, my boy, but I don't want you to fight and hurt your arm further."

"I'm fine, Rusl, and I'm not leaving you alone against this filthy rabble."

"Then let us be done with them!"

They then fought back to back, preventing any of the foul creatures from attacking them from behind. Rusl cut down many foes, as did Link. When the onslaught withered down to a little under a dozen or so of the mindless creatures, he realized that these few were now wielding blades of their own.

These monsters were far from intelligent – lacking even the small amount of brains that the Bulblins possessed – and they were reckless with their swords, but that made them all the more dangerous as they flung their weapons haphazardly through the air, even managing to slice open a couple of their own comrades in the process.

Just when they were sure they were almost done, one last, unexpected foe leapt forth from the shadows with its rusted blade pointed towards Rusl. The enemy charged at his side, taking him by surprise as he had been felling monsters from in front of him, not very mindful of his open sides. Just as the metal was about to pierce Rusl's neck, Link dove in front of the creature with his blade blocking that of the Bokoblin's. The older man's eyes widened in shock, not having seen the attack coming at all. The troll was weak, and the hero easily pushed it back with his blade. It tumbled to the ground and was ended swiftly when Link thrust the Master Sword through its stomach.

Rusl heaved a deep sigh as he took a cloth from his pack and wiped clean his weapon, "In such a short time you manage to save my life twice, and with only the use of one arm!"

Link said not a word as he sheathed his blade.

Rusl placed a hand on the boy's good shoulder, "I won't make this long; I know how you hate to hear about your own good deeds," they chuckled, "But I'm very proud of you, and thank you for doing what needed to be done and aiding me in battle despite your injury."

"I would do no different were it to happen again."

Rusl snickered a bit.

"What is it?"

"I just can't believe you out-fought me with only one arm. Have I truly gotten that old or are you simply that skilled?"

Link dismissed the compliment, saying instead, "You're just that old," with a sly grin.

Rusl laughed whole-heartedly, "Alright, alright. Let's get back on the road before you make even more of a mockery of me."

When they finally reached the outermost region of Ordon Village, the sun was just beginning to rise, just as Rusl had predicted. Link closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, taking in the familiar smells and sounds that he adored so much. This was the time of day he always woke up when working on the ranch. He was up with the sun nearly every day, getting a head start on tending to the animals. He would often sit on the highest hill in the ranch as the goats grazed, simply relaxing in the cool morning breeze… how he missed those days.

They bypassed the open clearing that Link called home, making their way into the heart of the village. The villagers were already up and about, which Link found odd. The hero had always been the first one awake, but this time, everyone seemed to have been up for long before the sunrise.

When they came into the small town, they were instantly bombarded by a few of the villagers.

"Rusl! Link!" Bo shouted as he approached them, "How good it is to see you both well!"

The two men dismounted their steeds, Rusl having to tie his up to a nearby post to keep it in place.

"Link, m'boy, what happened to your arm?" the mayor asked curiously.

He glanced down at it, "Oh, I broke it, but it's nothing to worry about."

"Did I jus' hear my bud Link?" a sudden, familiar voice could be heard from farther up the road.

Link instantly recognized that thick accent, "Fado?"

"Link!" the young man called happily as he descended the hill from the ranch, "So glad yer here! You can help me with the goats! Oh…" he stopped as soon as he noticed that his arm was in a sling, "What happened to yer arm, bud?"

"We will all have time to catch up later," Rusl interjected, "I need to know, where is my wife?"

"Oh, right," Bo seemed like he suddenly remembered something very important, "She was complainin' about some pain. The womenfolk have been cooped up in your house all night - won't tell us a thing. We've all been a mite worried, too, I'd sa- hey!" he stopped midsentence when Rusl suddenly took off down the path toward his home.

He swung the door open and hastened to their bedroom at the back of their small abode. Link followed closely behind, eager to see if she was alright. What they found when they entered was a drained looking Uli lying on the bed, seemingly unconscious, while Pergie and Sera sat opposite each other.

"Is she?" Rusl suddenly blurted after rushing to her side and grasping her hand.

"She's been in labor for quite a few hours now," Sera explained, "There have been some complications, but she's alright."

"You are sure?" Rusl questioned, looking at her sternly.

"Yes."

The older man let out a deep breath that seemed like he had been holding in since he got her letter the day prior. He looked back at her weary face, pushing back a few stray locks of blonde hair. At this, she began to stir a little, her sluggish eyes opening but a crack.

"My love… is that you?" she whispered.

"It is me. Are you alright?"

"I am much better now that you are here… Dear, I have missed you so."

"I've missed you, too," he kissed her forehead, "Save your strength. Rest."

She closed her eyes, a small smile gracing her thin lips. Rusl pulled up a nearby stool and sat at her side, still clinging onto her hand.

"How much longer?" Rusl inquired, glancing between Sera and Pergie.

"She still has quite a few hours left. I'm guessing the baby will most likely be here closer to dusk," Pergie replied.

"Perhaps you should get some rest, Link," Rusl suggested, turning to the hero still standing in the doorway.

"Nah," he shook his head, "I'm not tired. Besides, I would like to catch up with some of the villagers."

"Very well, then," Rusl said with a smile, "Enjoy yourself, but be careful."

Link nodded before taking his leave.

Once outside, he found himself suddenly being barraged with questions from the townsfolk. He could understand their concern, but he wasn't sure of exactly what he should tell them. They wondered about their children, about his broken arm and his strange clothing, they asked about where he had been for all these months and why he appeared to be so battered. For the most part, the only answer he could give was, "I promise I'll explain it at a later time."

The villagers weren't exactly pleased with his answer, but they were also kind and understanding enough to give him his space. They knew that Link had always been a bit mysterious, keeping to himself and not divulging much to anyone, so that let him get away with a bit more than anyone else could have.

Looking for a moment's calm and a bit of a break from all the questions, he headed up the path to the ranch where he found Fado sitting alone at the highest point of the hill, where he usually liked to relax.

"Hey!" his friend called.

He strode over to his long-time comrade and sat down in the grass beside him.

"What've you been up to, bud?"

Link chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head as he said, "Uh, quite a lot actually."

The ranch hand was quiet, seemingly awaiting a story.

"I'll tell you all about it another time, okay?"

"Alright, whatever ya say."

They were both silent again after that, neither one knowing exactly what to say. They used to spend quite a bit of time goofing around and talking, and yet, now it seemed so unusual to be in his company. Perhaps he just wasn't used to this kind of life anymore. Did that mean he wouldn't be able to return to the simply farm life he was living when this whole mess was done? Well, he would have to survive this 'whole mess' before he would have to worry about that, anyway, he thought.

"The village has been so quiet since y'all took off."

Link turned to look at him, perplexed by his sudden change of tone.

"Without the tots runnin' 'round and bein' loud and gettin' into trouble, it just ain't no fun around here. What, with you gone, and Rusl gone, too," he sighed, "It's just been awful sad 'round here lately. I can tell that everyone else feels the same, too."

"I'm sorry, Fado. It's just," Link paused, looking for the right words, "I've come to find out that our land is in danger, so Rusl and I have been doing everything we can to stop anything bad from happening."

Fado seemed confused, "Ordon's in danger?"

"Not just Ordon, all of Hyrule. That's why we've all been away; we're doing our best to protect it. That's why the children have to stay in Kakariko, too - it's far too dangerous to have them cross the field to come back here."

"Oh…" was all he could muster.

"At least, after today, you'll all have a newborn baby to keep everyone occupied."

Fado nearly gasped, "Is that why Uli and Pergie and Sera've been up all night? By golly! How excitin'!"

Link smiled, "I know, I can't wait to meet him… or _her_."

"You'll be a big brother all over again, eh, bud?" he said playfully, nudging him in the shoulder.

Link chuckled, "Yeah, I guess I will be, won't I?"

The late morning followed by the early afternoon came and went in a flash. Fado and Link spent the hours talking, laughing, and catching up. He didn't realize just how much he truly missed his friend until he had the chance to reunite with him.

When the temperature began to get colder and the sun began its descent in the sky, the sudden sight of Pergie at the entrance to the ranch drew the two young men from their conversation. They got to their feet and ran to greet the older woman, eager to hear what news she brought them.

"Uli's had her baby," she said happily.

The two suddenly became so excited that they practically knocked Pergie to the ground by how fast they ran past her to get to Rusl and Uli's house. They swung the door open and made haste for the bedroom. The sight before them stopped them in their tracks.

Uli lay on the bed, obviously exhausted, but with a smile on her face all the while. Rusl stood beside the bed with his back toward the door, but when he heard them enter, he turned to acknowledge them. Link couldn't remember ever seeing as enormous a grin on the man's face as he saw on him right this instant. In his arms was a small bundle wrapped inside a pink blanket.

"Link," Rusl chimed, stepping closer and motioning for him to have a seat in a nearby chair, "Meet your little sister, Calie."

Just as Link got situated on a stool, Rusl handed him the tiny baby to hold. Had he had the use of both his arms, sitting would not have been necessary, but since he was without one and could not properly support the newborn, he laid her in his lap and used his good hand to support her small head.

Link beamed as he looked down at her, a miniscule tuft of blonde hair, just like Uli's and Colin's, sprouting from her crown and eyes green like her father's. Calie reached her tiny hands towards him and he gave her his finger. She grasped it firmly and gave a joyful giggle; Link couldn't help but laugh himself.

"She's beautiful," he said with a grin as he looked between Rusl and Uli.

"How does it feel to have a baby sister?" Rusl asked.

Link looked back down at the bundle on his lap before replying, "Wonderful." He then leaned in close, giving the baby a peck on the forehead and whispering, "I'll protect you just like a big brother should. No harm will come to you as long as I live, Calie, I promise you."

* * *

_**Taking solace in loved ones in order to heal.**_

* * *

**A/N: **About the name I chose for Uli and Rusl's baby just in case anyone asks... I simply felt it was fitting. It's cute and feminine and it's similar to the name Colin so I feel it's something Uli and Rusl would pick. I altered the spelling so that it would stick with the use of single 'L's in the family. Also, if you want to know how I intend for it to be pronounced, it should rhyme with 'alley' or 'valley.'


	40. Revelations

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 2/25/14 – Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 40: Revelations

**.:.**

The night after Calie's birth, Link slept better than he had in a long time.

He was so tired that he didn't even remember dragging his heavy bones up the ladder and into his tree house. When he awoke the next morning in his bed, he was almost positive that some magnificent force had lifted him and set him down in his cot. It was such a strange feeling to actually wake up in a _bed _– especially his own bed.

He wiped the sleep from his eyes and was greeted by a friend that he hadn't seen in a while.

"Wake up already!" that chiming voice called loudly, "Geez, talk about Hyrule's laziest hero _ever_!"

"Good morning to you, too, Midna," he said groggily and with a smirk on his tired face.

"Sleep well?"

"Yes, actually," he yawned and stretched, "I did. Did you?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "Just fine, I guess. Something's been on my mind, though."

He furrowed his brow, "What is it?"

She let her weightless form sink down a bit, allowing herself to be at the same level as her companion, "I didn't understand something yesterday."

He was quiet, waiting for her to continue. She glanced between his perplexed eyes and the wooden floor, gathering her thoughts into terms.

"Everyone was talking about Calie being your little sister, but… I thought I remembered you saying that your parents were dead. So… I'm confused."

"Well," Link began, scratching the back of his neck before continuing, "I did say my parents are dead, and they are, but… Rusl and Uli took me in when I was orphaned and have treated me as their own ever since."

"I see," Midna said, one arm across her chest while the other held up her chin, "So… you consider Colin your little brother then?"

"I do."

"Okay, it all makes sense now! That's why you're so protective of him and all that, right?"

"Well, I would be regardless, and I feel that I'm equally protective of all the kids-"

"Yeah, yeah, you take good care of them all. I'm just glad you answered me that; it was bugging me all night!"

"You know," Link changed the subject as he pulled on his chainmail and tunic, "You haven't told me anything about your family."

"Because it doesn't need to be discussed," she blurted suddenly, her voice low and her words blunt.

Link stopped what he was doing and looked at her, wondering why she had responded in such a manner.

After a moment, she exhaled and took on a different tone, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bite your head off. I just… I don't want to talk about it right now. I promise I'll tell you all about my life and my family and whatever other nonsense you want to know about another time, okay?"

"You also promised you'd tell me about what you saw back in the Arbiter's Grounds," he said with a playful smirk.

"I will, just not yet."

"Alright, whenever you're ready," he compromised as he strapped on his boots.

"Um… One last thing," Midna spoke up.

"What is it?"

"Do _all_ babies born in the light look so… pale?" she asked seriously.

Link couldn't help but laugh, "I suppose so, yeah."

"Ugh," she said in disgust, "So _plain_. I mean, none of you light dwellers have any markings?"

"Markings?"

"Yeah. We Twili have our beautiful blue markings," she explained, pointing to intricate lines and symbols on her leg in particular.

"Nothing like that, no."

"Huh… Strange."

He chuckled again, "If you say so. Ready to start the day?"

"Oh, you mean hide in your shadow and keep myself busy by doing absolutely nothing while you run around chasing goats? Sure, let's go for it," she said sarcastically.

He gave her a look and she couldn't help but break her demeanor of mock anger with a giggle.

"Yeah, yeah, let's go," she gave in with a smirk.

That day and a few following it, Link kept himself busy by helping to care for Calie and by aiding Fado at the ranch. He enjoyed the short respite, but it was near driving him mad with how little there was for him to do. It was almost as if he had become a different person – he couldn't even imagine how he had spent his days doing naught but tending to the goats before; it seemed so… boring.

Needless to say, it didn't take long for the hero to grow restless in Ordon.

A mere week after Calie came into the world, Link announced that he was going to take his leave. Rusl disagreed with his choice and they argued for quite some time, so they made a deal: Link would not yet return to his journey, therefore he would do no fighting, and he was only to visit the children in Kakariko or the group at Telma's Bar. Link gave in reluctantly, knowing that his mentor only wanted for him to heal up fully before heading back into his adventure, but he couldn't stand the feeling of being useless.

Having decided to stop by the desert village and inform the kids of Ordon's newest addition, he made haste westward that evening. Epona got him there quickly, arriving in the warm, dusty town the next afternoon where he was immediately seen and barraged by the children.

"Link!" they called excitedly as they dashed over to him.

"Hello again," he greeted as he dismounted Epona.

"Where's Uncle Rusl?"

"Where's my dad?"

"Did Uncle Rusl DIE?"

"I'm surprised you came back at all…"

Beth, Colin, and Talo all shouted – and Malo mumbled – at the same time

Link chuckled as Renado stepped in to say, "One at a time, children."

"Where's Uncle Rusl?" Beth inquired again, this time being the only voice.

"He's still in Ordon."

"Is my mom okay?" Colin asked nervously.

Link nodded, "She is. Actually, I have big news for you, Colin."

"You do?" he questioned, excitement starting to creep in.

"I do. Can you guess what it is?"

"Um," the blond boy said as the wheels in his mind began turning, "Ooh! My mom got me a dog!"

"No, guess again," the hero smiled.

"Hm," he paused to think again, "Oh! I know! My dad finally built me a place to keep my tadpoles in in my room!"

"Not quite."

"Huh… I don't know. I give up!"

"Colin, you have a little sister now."

The young boy's jaw suddenly fell agape so wide Link was almost certain it would hit the dirt. Beth gasped loudly beside him and covered her mouth with her hands as she grinned and squealed about how cute she must be. Malo's eyes grew wide and he turned to look at the blond haired boy without much of an expression other than that. Talo had a similar reaction to Colin, but he managed to yell a considerably loud '_whoa_!' as opposed to the other boy's silence.

"What's her name?" the young girl asked.

"Calie," Link answered simply.

"Calie…" Colin whispered to himself, "Calie… Calie!" his voice escalated to a shout as he began jumping about excitedly, "Calie! I have a baby sister named Calie! I'm a big brother! I can't wait to meet her!"

Link couldn't fight the grin that made its way to his lips even if he wanted to. He watched with a smile as Talo and Colin bounced around the village in sheer joy.

"Uli is well then?" Renado asked.

"Yes."

The older man sighed, "That is such good news. I feared the worst when that letter arrived. It puts my heart at ease to know that she and the baby are alright."

Link gave a nod.

"What about you, though, my boy. Are you alright?" he questioned sincerely, turning to look the hero in the eye.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You are sure? How is that arm holding up?"

He glanced down at it, "Alright, I suppose. I can't really tell the difference," he chuckled a bit.

"Why don't we step inside and I can have a look at it."

"If that's what you wish," Link obliged and he began following the shaman indoors as he called for the children to follow him, not wanting them to be left unguarded.

The kids remained on the ground level of the inn where they began playing one of their silly games as Link and Renado made their way up to the room that the hero had grown quite accustomed to by now. He lay down only about halfway onto the cot, resting his shoulders against the wall behind him so that he was still mostly sitting upright. The healer removed the cloth that had been holding up his arm and began pressing his fingers firmly, yet gently, along the bones. Link winced a bit and Renado withdrew.

"I see it still causes you pain, so it is clearly not healed completely," he paused to get another feel for his wrist, and Link recoiled at the impact, "Mm… You still have some time before you can use it effortlessly."

The hero sighed as Renado grabbed a fresh, clean piece of cloth and wrapped Link's arm inside of it and tied it at his shoulder.

The shaman noticed his agitation and decided to show him the bright side of the situation, "You are healing at a much faster rate than I anticipated."

"Not fast enough," he muttered.

"Do not be so brash. Give your body the rest and recuperation it nee-"

"Do you think the enemy stops advancing while I rest?"

Renado remained silent, slightly taken aback at how Link had cut him off to say such pessimistic words – he was usually always exactly the opposite.

Link closed his eyes briefly and let out an exhale, "I'm sorry, Renado, I should not have snapped at you like that. I'm just frustrated with being unable to do anything; I'm disgusted by my inaction."

"Link, my son, you are _far_ too hard on yourself. What good would it do for you to return to your journey with a broken arm? Do not think of your time resting as wasted time, think of it as time used in preparing yourself for doing the best you can as the Goddesses chosen hero."

Link paused, his mind taking in and processing what the shaman had just said, "Thank you, Renado, I never thought of it that way."

Renado smiled, "You are welcome."

A sudden, timid knock on the door drew the two men's attention. They both turned to look just as Ilia presented herself saying, "I heard talking, so I just wanted to see if I really heard Link's voice or if my mind was playing tricks on me. I'm surprised that you came back so soon."

"I am, too," he said with a slight chuckle.

Renado quickly stood and made his way to the door declaring, "I will come back to check on you later," and he then took his leave.

Ilia stood in the threshold a moment, seemingly thinking something over in her mind. Her hands were clasped at her chest, her fingers intertwined as she twiddled them against each other nervously.

"Is something on your mind, Ilia?" Link asked, startling the girl a bit as it snapped her from her thoughts.

"Yes, actually, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Anything," he answered sincerely as she pulled up a stool and sat beside the cot. Link then threw his legs over the side of the bed and sat so that he was facing his best friend.

"I… I think I remember something from my childhood."

Link's heart skipped a beat in excitement, "Really? What is it?"

"I just remember… hay. I remember… farm animals and the sound of trickling water."

"Is that all you can remember?" he asked, afraid of the answer.

"That's all."

Just like that, Link's heart sank all over again, "Oh… Well, at least that's something, right?" he said as he put on a fake smile for her sake.

"I guess so… yeah. I'm happy that my memory is coming back to me, but… I just want to remember everything already."

"I understand, and it will come to you in time."

She simply smiled and after a moment of silence she said her farewells.

After purchasing a new shield from Malo's shop since his last one had been destroyed, Link decided to leave Kakariko that night. He realized that he wasn't needed there at the moment and that he still had a promise to fulfill to a certain girl at Telma's Bar, so that is where he set his sights to next.

The trip was fairly easy and quite short. He ran into a few mindless monsters along the way, but nothing that caused him too much trouble. He arrived in Castle Town at dusk the following day, and made it to the alcove that housed the tavern just after sunset. He whisked the door open quickly, eager to get out of the chilly winter air, and was greeted by a warm breeze that called him in further and further.

That is, until an angry looking Ashei instantly locked eyes with him and he suddenly felt a level of fear that he had not felt when facing any of the foes he had felled thus far.

"Link!" the female group member shouted from across the bar, "You better get over here and explain yourself to me you insensitive a- mmph! Shad!" she was cut off as Shad stuck a bite of bread in her mouth to silence her.

Link glanced to Telma for salvation, but she gave him nothing more than a shrug of her shoulders and said, "Gotta face the music, honey. Don't worry, Shad and Auru won't let her rough you up too bad."

He walked over to her hesitantly, not even having reached the table before she stood from her seat so fast that she knocked the stool clear to the ground as she barked, "You unbelievable, inconsiderate, selfish little jerk! By Din's fire and Farore's wind I swear to the Goddesses that I could kill you right now!"

"Ashei," Shad cut in, placing his hand on her forearm as she passed by his seat to get to Link, halting her in her path of destruction, "I do say you should calm down a bit…"

"You've gotta be kidding me, yeah? This idiot just takes off into this raging blizzard on this dark, evil mountain and we don't hear anything from him for weeks! I was worried out of my Goddess-damned mind!"

"I'm sorry," Link tried reluctantly.

"'_Sorry_?' You're '_sorry_?' Does '_sorry_' make up for every single day for the last six or whatever weeks that I sat here wondering if I let you wander off to your death or not? No! '_Sorry_' doesn't cut it!"

"Then what will?" he asked calmly, sincerely wanting to know how he could make it up to her.

"I... Ugh, I don't know!" she stammered, setting her seat back upright in a fluster, "You'll have to figure that out yourself!"

Having let out most of her rage, she plopped back down and mutely sipped on her pumpkin ale.

"Well then," Shad began as he cleared his throat in a rather amusing attempt at forgetting the girl's outburst, "How have your travels been treating you, old boy?"

"Not too well, it seems," Auru interjected, gesturing to his sling, "What happened to your arm, lad?"

"I broke it battling a monster on Snowpeak," he answered cautiously, not wanting to arouse Ashei's fury a second time.

"Ah, yes. Were you able to bring the mountain to peace? I haven't heard any of the wandering travelers speaking of ill omens from that region of Hyrule anymore."

"I was. It was just a couple of yetis on the mountain's summit upsetting things a bit," he said, changing the story so that it wouldn't sound as wicked as it really was, and he certainly didn't want to begin to try to explain the Mirror of Twilight to them.

"Yetis, you say? I thought they were but a myth! That is simply fascinating!" Shad said enthusiastically.

"Have you seen Rusl lately by chance?" Auru asked, changing the subject.

"Yes, he's staying in Ordon for a bit longer; his wife just recently had their baby."

"That is great news," the oldest member stated, "I hope you will send him our best when next you see him."

"I will," Link responded with a small smile.

Shad wasted no time changing the topic of conversation yet again, "Link, I had a question for you, if you don't mind?"

He shook his head, "You can ask whatever you like."

"Splendid!"

"Oh Goddesses, you've done it now," Ashei mumbled under her breath.

Shad paid her no mind, "Ashei mentioned something rather peculiar on her return from her travels with you about your, shall I say, 'hero-business'?"

For Din's sake, Link thought, he really had done it. Now he had to explain to Shad what he had just finished explaining to Renado, then to Ashei, and then to Rusl – he was getting fed up with it, to be honest. It wasn't that it bothered him that he had to repeat himself, and it wasn't that it bothered him to speak to these people, but what bothered him was how much everyone lingered on it so heavily. He wished that they all would simply let it lie and forget about it from time to time. He just wanted his friends to spend time with him smiling and laughing when he could, he didn't want to spend the time he _did_ have with his friends discussing unhappy things.

When Link was quiet, the red-haired man went on, "She said that the Goddesses have chosen you and that you even wield the legendary Master Sword. Tell me, is this true? Could you really have such a blade at your disposal?"

Link paused for a brief second, glancing, in turn, between the three other sets of eyes at the table before answering, "Yes."

Shad's eyes lit up, "My stars! May I… Uh, well, you see, what I'm wondering is…" he hesitated, wanting so desperately to ask the hero but being afraid to do so.

Link knew what it was that the young man wanted to say, "Yes, you may see it," he answered kindly, standing and withdrawing the blade from its sheath and laying it upon the table before retaking his seat as he did so.

For a moment, Shad merely stared at it, his hands hovering over the steel as if a magnetic force prevented him from drawing nearer.

"Could it really be the true blade?" Auru directed his question to the scholar.

"The intricate weaving on the handle…" Shad began as he got to his feet, his voice hardly above a whisper as he finally built up the courage to lay his fingers upon the weapon before him, "The deep violet color of the curving hilt… The golden gem at the base…" his eyes suddenly grew wider, "The Triforce – the very symbol of the Goddesses – here, at the front of the shaft!"

When the young Hylian's excitement took the best of him, he entwined his fingers around the grip of the sword and tried with all his might to lift it, but he was unable to. Perplexed, his brow furrowed deeply, and after another moment of trying, he gave up. He returned to his seat with a huff and pushed his glasses up higher on the bridge of his nose.

"Don't feel bad, yeah? I couldn't pick it up, either," Ashei admitted.

"So… then we truly have the legendary blade of the Goddesses lying right in front of us…" Shad said quietly, almost more to convince himself than anyone else.

"Amazing," Auru stated simply.

"'_Amazing_?' No, no, no, it's… It's astonishing! Remarkable! Astounding! Incredi-"

"We get it, yeah?" Ashei snarled from behind her cup.

"Ashei, don't you comprehend the significance of this? This sword was crafted by the hands of the deities and wielded by the Hero of Time centuries ago! This very blade cut down the evil king, Ganondorf!"

"Yes, I get that, you moron! That's why I was so excited to tell you about it when I got back! I thought you'd have some more interesting things to say about it, though. And honestly," she paused to take another gulp of her alcohol, "I thought you would prove it to be a fake."

Shad looked puzzled, "You were hoping for it to be a false duplicate?"

She shrugged, "Kind of, yeah."

"Well," he puffed, "I do say, _that_ is quite peculiar, Ashei, even for you."

"Why would you want that, Ashei?" Auru chimed in.

"I dunno. It's just so shocking… and I'm having a hard time believing it, so maybe I was hoping he would say it wasn't the real deal so that I could feel like I'm not going insane anymore or in some weird dream or something," she paused to think, "It's just hard to believe we've got a real hero in our presence, yeah?"

Link said not a word, but listened intently as they spoke of the matter as if he wasn't at the table. He didn't mind so much, anyway; he much preferred listening to talking in most cases as it was.

"That is understandable," Shad began as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table, gesturing with his hands as he spoke, "Most times it is the factual subjects that are also the most unbelievable. We, as humans, often try to find a reason as to why something cannot be true, it is simply in our nature to doubt and to question."

"That is very insightful," Auru complimented.

Shad nodded his thanks and opened his mouth to say something, but Ashei instantly cut him off, "I'm so conflicted in this. I believe you on one hand, Link. Like, when we were fighting – you really fought like a hero! – and I accepted what you said in that instance. But, when I sit and really ponder it… it's just hard to grasp, yeah?"

"I have not a doubt in my mind," Shad interjected, looking to Link and avoiding the glare from Ashei, "I fully understand what it means to wield the Master Sword: it means, without question, that you are the hero that the Goddesses have chosen to end the evil threatening Hyrule, correct?"

Link nodded.

"And I can see that… completely. You _look_ the part of the hero; you have the exact same tunic that the ancient hero once wore, as well as many of his features and attributes. You _speak_ the part of the hero; your words are few but when you choose to grace us with them they are eloquent and to the point, just how they should be. Also, you _act_ the part of the hero; your deeds are not only the very epitome of heroic, but they are ones that I could see even the Goddesses taking a liking to," he was quiet momentarily, glancing over at the young girl and then back to him, "Though I have not seen you in action with my own two eyes, Ashei spoke so highly of your skills that I know you must really be something to behold in battle – I have never heard her say that anyone was…" he cleared his throat, "…a '_badass_ fighter' before. It takes someone truly outstanding for her to say something like that."

"Goddesses, Shad, do you ever keep anything to yourself?" she mumbled, her cheeks gaining a light red hue with embarrassment.

Link chuckled before saying finally, "Thank you. Your words mean a lot."

"So, Link," Auru stepped in, "Where are your grand adventures leading you next?"

"Well, I was told I needed to go to an ancient grove and somewhere in the heavens."

"'Somewhere in the heavens' you say?" Shad spoke up, genuinely intrigued, "I do say, I have had quite an interest in the heavens myself. Have you heard of the Oocca, by chance?"

Ashei suddenly burst into hysterics, "Oh, Shad! When will you give up on all that nonsense? There are no magical beings living in the clouds for Din's sake!"

"Well, for goodness sakes, Ashei. I do believe you are being quite _rude_. Do I pick fun at-"

"You just have to learn to ignore their silly quarrels," Auru said to Link, returning to their conversation as Shad and Ashei continued to bicker beside them, "Now… I'm afraid I cannot help you with the bit about the heavens, but I can tell you that Rusl would be able to help you greatly with finding the ancient grove you speak of. In fact, the last time he was in our company he spoke of a strange wood he had yet to explore himself… and I believe he mentioned that it was near your village. You should return to him; I'm sure he'll be able to point you in the right direction."

"You're right, Auru, I should have thought of that," Link said with a smirk, laughing inwardly at his lack of realization, "I should be on my way then," he stated as he got to his feet and returned his blade to its scabbard.

The two squabbling Resistance members suddenly stopped when they noticed the hero preparing to leave.

"Heading out so soon? Why, I suspected you would at least stay the night," Shad inquired.

"Don't tell me you're returning to your hero business with a broken arm," Ashei stated bluntly.

"I am," Link responded, but continued quickly so as to avoid arguing about injuring himself further and the same nonsense he had heard from everyone else already, "I will return as soon as I can."

"I will research what exactly is implied by 'somewhere in the heavens,' and will hopefully have more insight for you as to where you should begin your search when next you return. It has been a pleasure, old boy!"

"Thank you, Shad. I will see you all soon," he said his goodbyes, exchanged a few pleasantries with Telma, and headed out the door.

The moon had ascended near its zenith by the time the young Hylian stepped outside, the temperature reflecting the absence of the sun dramatically. It had become significantly colder since he entered the bar, his breath displaying this fact evidently in clouds before his lips. It was unfortunate that when he had to scale the snowy mountain it was also the middle of the coldest months of the year – such was his luck, he supposed.

He didn't waste any time getting across the field. He hopped on his mare's back and sent her galloping at top speed over the grassy terrain. The trip would normally have taken at least half a day, but Epona managed to bring him to his home village before the sun was up. Since he arrived when it was still dark, he knew everyone would be asleep and he didn't want to disturb them, so he treaded lightly. He thought about taking a quick nap as he passed by his home, but he realized that he wasn't all that tired, and decided to lead Epona up to the ranch.

Once they were at the top of the hill, he let his friend free to graze – after all, the grass here was her favorite kind. Link, however, retreated into the barn in an attempt to get out of the cold. He visited with the goats for a moment, giving them loving pats on the head and making sure they all were well fed inside their stalls.

"So," Midna's bell-like voice chimed loud in the quiet night, "That Shad guy sure thought you were pretty awesome, huh?" she nudged him playfully, trying to make him realize that this was probably going to be a common theme now - people praising him directly.

"Yeah…" he ignored how desperately she was trying to fluster him, "He really seemed to believe I'm worthy of being the hero, didn't he?"

"Yeah he did. He acted as if the Goddesses flew down from the heavens and told him personally that you were their hero!" she could hardly get the last bit out as she started giggling.

He smirked, "Yeah…"

After calming herself, she said, "I still don't like that Ashei girl."

"Why not?"

"She's so rude! '_Oh, I was hoping it was a fake!_'" she mocked in a degrading tone, "I mean… Ugh! What a snob!"

He couldn't help but chuckle at her imitation, "She's just finding it hard to believe. I can understand that; I'm still having a hard time believing it myself."

"That's just because you're _you_. You don't seem to think you're worth anything."

"Hey, that's not true."

"Yes it is!"

"No… I don't think I'm not worth _anything_."

"Uh huh, sure. Then why don't you tell me something you're good at?"

He paused to think, "Uh… I'm good with the goats."

She stared at him blankly, her arms folded over her chest, "Seriously? I mean… really? That's all you can come up with?"

"Well, I mean, I'm pretty good with Epona, too."

She slapped her palm against her forehead, "For Din's sake, Link, can you come up with something that doesn't have to do with stupid animals?"

"Um… I suppose I'm decent with a blade."

"'Decent'? That's all the credit you can give yourself?" she laughed again, "See? You really can't say anything good about yourself! You're just too humble for your own goo-"

"Link?"

A voice at the entrance of the barn stopped Midna midsentence and forced them both to look in that direction, their hearts jumping in unison at the shock. What they found before them was a very frightened Rusl, who appeared to be just as surprised as they were.

"L-Link… Don't be alarmed…" the older man cautiously withdrew his sword, "But there is a monster beside you…"

Knowing that she was caught, Midna saw no point in returning to Link's shadow – she knew the man saw her already and decided she didn't want to freak him out even more by suddenly disappearing before his eyes.

"Rusl," Link began in a slow, calming voice, "Put down the sword… She's not a monster."

"'She'? Link, come to your senses! Don't you see this beast has brainwashed you?" he started to yell now, an anger deeply rooted in his eyes as he held his blade higher.

Link positioned himself between Rusl and Midna, "No, Rusl, really. I'm not brainwashed or anything, this is my friend."

His brow furrowed, "Your friend? How can one of these foul monsters be your… _friend_? Have you not seen what these beasts are capable of? Have you not seen what evil they possess? I have witnessed them corrupt innocent people right before my eyes! They have-"

"Rusl!" Link shouted at his same level, something that the older man had only witnessed once or twice in his lifetime, "First of all, although those _were_ her people that you saw do those things, they were not themselves. Those beasts were once people, transformed by evil into something that they could not control. Do not judge them for something that is beyond them."

The Ordonian paused a moment before lowering his weapon a bit, "How do you know this one hasn't turned evil like the rest?" he stared at her, studying her over as she glared back at him.

"Because she's been with me through it all," he confessed, nervous about his father's reaction.

Rusl stood up straight, a confused look on his features as he turned to Link and simply said, "What?"

"She's been by my side since I learned that I was to be the hero all those months ago. She's helped me out on numerous occasions and saved my life probably more than I care to admit," he finished as he cast a smile her way, receiving one in return.

"Wha…" was all he could muster at first. When his brain finally caught up with him, he sheathed his sword and wiped a hand down his face with a sigh before trying again, "So, this is… your friend?"

Link nodded with a smile, motioning to him that it was alright to come closer.

Midna, too, closed in the distance between them and hovered at his level, sticking out her hand as she said, "Midna."

Rusl glanced over at Link who gave him a nod as if to tell him that it was alright before looking back at the small imp in front of him. After a moment, he took her tiny hand in his and introduced himself, "Rusl."

"Oh, I already know your name, but that's okay, now you know mine!"

"I'm so confused," Rusl admitted with a dry chuckle as he turned to Link, "You said she's been with you all this time… How is that possible? I've never seen her with you."

"Let me show you!" Midna chirped, not even allowing Link to get a word out.

In a flash, she swooped down into the hero's shadow and vanished entirely.

Rusl looked even more perplexed, "So… she hides in your shadow and follows you on your adventures?"

"Yes," Link nodded as Midna came back into the light.

"It's a good thing I found him, too! Otherwise he would still be stuck as a wo-"

"-Water! Stuck in the _water_," Link interjected, covering up the fact that Midna almost slipped too much of the secret to him.

"Stuck in the water?" Rusl questioned, an eyebrow raised in disbelief.

"Yeah. When the kids got taken I was knocked out and lying in the water of the spirit's spring. She found me there and helped me out," he lied.

"Uh, yeah, that's what happened," Midna played along – poorly.

Rusl didn't seem convinced, but shrugged it off, "Well, Midna… I can't thank you enough for saving Link's life."

"No big deal, really. I've kinda grown attached to him by now," she said with a smirk.

Rusl chuckled a bit before saying, "Right… Well, I came up here because I heard voices, and I ended up finding much more than I bargained for. So, I'm just… going to go back to sleep and try to process everything I just heard," he shook his head and blinked his eyes, hoping this was all just a dream that he would wake up from in a few hours if he headed back to bed.

"Good night!" Midna called after him as he meandered down the sloping hill and back into the village.

As soon as he was out of earshot, the imp turned to the hero and barked, "Good going! Now someone knows of our existence!"

Link was taken aback, "Wait, what?"

"Ugh," she sighed, "People of the light aren't supposed to know about the Twili! That's why I hide in your shadow you idiot!"

"You told me you did that so you wouldn't frighten everyone."

"Well, that too, but still!"

"He's not going to tell anyone," Link said comfortingly as he could tell she was genuinely upset, "I know him, he won't say anything because he won't want to scare anyone in the village."

She looked up at him, visibly starting to cool down, "You're sure?"

"Positive."

She exhaled agitatedly, "Okay… I hope you're right."

"I am. Let's go get some sleep before the sun comes up, alright?" he soothed, having suddenly realized he felt tired after that whole ordeal.

She nodded reluctantly before hiding away in his shadow yet again. He grabbed Epona by the reigns and they made their way to the clearing where his house sat heavily amongst his tall tree. The whole way there, all he could do was pray to Farore that he was right about Rusl not uttering a word to anyone. He also couldn't help but hope that his father figure hadn't caught Midna's slip up about him being a wolf. He was sure that even if Rusl _had_ caught that mistake, he wouldn't have understood it. He sighed much louder than he intended as he thought of what just transpired.

Rusl knew about Midna… They had been careless. He swore to himself that he would be more careful from here on out, especially when he was a canine – he was positive he wouldn't be able to explain _that_ to anyone.

And he prayed he would never have to.

* * *

_**Revealing but a portion of the truth to those you can trust.**_


	41. The Footsteps of a Hero

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 3/23/14 – Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 41: The Footsteps of a Hero

**.:.**

Link arrived in the forest he had grown up in early the following morning after travelling through the late night. Realizing that it was highly unlikely that any of the villagers would be awake just yet, he decided to investigate the deeper portion of Faron himself while he waited for a more appropriate time of day that he could disturb his father figure. Perhaps, he thought optimistically, he could find the grove the sages had told him of on his own, therefore avoiding an argument about returning to battle with a still-broken arm from Rusl.

He let Epona go, knowing that she would find her way to the spring where she could get herself a drink on her own and he continued on. When he came into a familiar clearing where he had found the Forest Temple at the beginning of his journey, it suddenly occurred to him that the Sacred Grove had been in this area where he had acquired the Master Sword. He laughed inwardly at himself at not putting two and two together sooner – he was almost certain the Sacred Grove he was aware of and the one spoken of by the ancient sages were one in the same.

Excited at his discovery, he picked up the pace a bit; that was, until he spotted a figure a ways in front of him. He decelerated back down to a slow walk when he realized it was Rusl who stood at the edge of the gorge with his back to him. His arms were folded across his chest and even though he couldn't see his face, he could tell he was deep in thought.

"I knew you would come here," the older man's voice, though calm and low, rang loud throughout the silent wood. He hadn't turned around, hadn't even cast a glance over his shoulder, but he knew exactly who approached him.

Link stopped mid-stride, breathing slowly and keeping quiet.

"You never were one to sit still, even as a lad. I knew from the moment Renado told you to wait six weeks that I would be lucky if you waited two," he gave a half-hearted chuckle and paused for a moment, "It has been a while since we took a walk in the forest, hasn't it?"

Link stepped closer as Rusl continued talking, still not having uttered a single sound.

"Yes, and how our world has changed… How we all have changed…" he sighed, finally turning to look at who he had been speaking to all this time, "How you have changed."

Link glanced at him and then down at the deep abyss at his feet.

After a moment of silence Rusl waved his hand as if to dismiss his last words, "No matter, we should save such a conversation for another time. Right now I want to discuss your ability to continue on with only one arm. Are you sure you shouldn't give yourself just a bit more time to heal?"

He shook his head, "I've waited long enough; I'm ready to go on."

Rusl sighed, "I don't know what manner of creatures dwell in the grove… Will you be able to fight?"

He nodded instantly, without even taking a second to contemplate it, "Yes, I can fight."

"You can wield your blade, yes, but can you adequately defend yourself?"

Link hesitated, "Yes."

"Well, I suppose if you find yourself in a jam that… '_friend_' of yours can help you out, right?" Rusl said peculiarly.

Link nodded.

"Ah, yes… Part of me was hoping you wouldn't understand what I meant – I'm still barely convinced that what I saw last night wasn't a dream," he gave a forced chuckle.

"I'm sorry about how you came to learn the truth. I hadn't intended for it to be so…" he stopped, trying to produce the right word, "Well…"

"Abrupt?" Rusl offered.

Link laughed slightly, "Yes… I had planned on telling it all to you on my own, I just wasn't sure when or how to go about it."

"Well, that is in the past. We should be focusing now on how to get you to this grove you must see to. All I am aware of is the fact that it lies beyond this gorge… but I haven't been able to come up with a way to get you over to it just yet," he explained as he rested his chin in his hand, obviously racking his brain for a solution.

"Uh," Link began nervously, scratching the back of his neck as he remembered how he had entered the secret wood the last time he had ventured into it, "I have an idea, but… Promise me you won't freak out."

"Oh Goddesses," Rusl heaved a sigh, "I don't like the sound of that."

Link paused, trying to determine how to put the odd situation at hand into terms. Wording the fact that he could change forms wasn't the hard part; the hard part was explaining it in a subtle way that made it sound less insane than it really was.

"Well?" Rusl asked after a few moments of silence.

Growing impatient, Midna suddenly brought herself into the world of light and exclaimed, "I'll just show him!"

Link tried to protest, wanting to divulge the secret to the older man in a calmer fashion, but she proceeded to implant him with the crystal before he could get a word out. Rusl shielded his eyes from the intense blackness that surrounded the hero's form until it subsided to reveal a canine. The Ordonian took an instinctual step back and reached his hand back for his blade.

Midna noticed him grabbing for his weapon and said, "Stop! This is Link!"

He stepped back again, not relinquishing the grasp on his hilt as he furrowed his brow. He didn't even glance at the imp that hovered mere inches from his face – he couldn't take his eyes off of the wolf that stood before him. "It can't be…" he whispered.

"It is," Midna said simply, "Look into his eyes and you'll know."

Rusl looked at the small girl, trying to find any hint of deceit or humor in her expression, but when she merely nodded and motioned for the older man to do as she said, he knew she meant it. He turned back to the beast and looked him over. The wolf's fur was thick and tinted with various hues of black, brown, and white. He had a ring in each ear and a cuff and short chain attached to his front left paw. As the Ordonian knelt down, he noticed that the animal held his front right paw off the ground by a few inches as if it was injured, connecting this creature to Link even more so. As Rusl gazed into the canine's cerulean eyes, the fact that he was staring into the eyes of a wolf was lost to him, and in his mind he was simply looking at Link. He smiled and placed an open palm on top of the beast's head, rubbing it gently.

"Link," he stated quietly, "With each passing day you do something that astounds me more and more. I thought yesterday was the pinnacle, with discovering you have an imp hiding in your shadow at all times. But now I find out that you are also a wolf?" he gave a humored scoff as he stood up, "Hopefully this is the last of your secrets, because I don't think I can take anything crazier than this."

Understanding that Link would most likely wish to speak with Rusl a bit more before heading off, Midna wordlessly reached over and extracted the gem from the hero's forehead, thus returning him to his true form. He grimaced a bit at the twisting of his limbs and muscles but recovered quickly as he had become accustomed to doing.

"My boy, why did you keep this from me?" Rusl asked after a brief pause of silence.

"I didn't want you - or anyone else for that matter - to think of me as some monster, or as any less human. Not only that, but I'm sure you would have thought I had gone mad if I had simply told you."

Rusl chuckled, "That is most likely true. I understand, lad, I do, but I think I have taken it better than you assumed I would, am I right?"

"Yeah, actually… you have," Link furrowed his brow perplexedly, "Why _have _you accepted it so easily? I mean, it's not every day that you witness someone transform into a different creature before your eyes. At least, it _wasn't_ before my journey began."

"Well," he said, "all of the old texts relating to that of the chosen hero states that he is the only being in existence that is able to change into the form of a majestic wolf. However, there is no account of the hero of the past ever altering shape, so perhaps that is a gift granted solely upon you."

Link was silent for a moment as his father's words sunk in. He suddenly thought of the golden wolf that he had encountered a handful of times previously and couldn't help but wonder if what Rusl spoke of had any connection to it. Could it be that that creature was… No, it couldn't be.

"Hm…" he pondered the idea, "Perhaps."

"I will not question it further. Simply because if I do, I'm sure, without a doubt, that I will end up even more baffled than I am already. We will leave it to be discussed another time, how's that?"

He nodded, "That sounds great."

"Besides… I know you're in a hurry to get to the grove; I will not keep you any longer, so long as you swear to me that you will proceed with double the caution – do not forget that you are still healing."

"I know, I'll be careful."

Rusl nodded reluctantly, "Alright then. Come back to us sooner than last time, yes?"

"Yes."

Without another word, Midna turned him back into a four-legged beast and swooped over to the far plateau jutting out from the cliff face, motioning to him that it was safe to jump. He was a bit nervous to take the leap with his front leg being broken, but he did so with confidence in his partner that she pointed him to a secure place that he could manage to get to. He lunged back in preparation and pushed off the ground with his hind legs with all his might. The landing was agonizing as a shooting pain made its way up his injured limb, but he was otherwise alright. He got ready for the next jump, and the next, and finally he was across the bottomless chasm. He cast a glance over at Rusl who nodded approvingly before he completely vanished into the hidden wood and out of his father's sight.

Once all the obstacles were cleared, Midna returned Link to his true self. He stood tall with a huff, taking a moment to examine his wrapped arm to ensure that it hadn't taken any unnecessary damage while he was a canine. Once he was sure that he was not any further scathed, he made his way onward and into the thicket.

As he stepped under the heavy cloak of endless tree branches and leaves, he suddenly realized how much different this place looked and felt through his native senses. There was a staleness on the air, as if this place had been untouched for many years. Perhaps it was the urgency of his last visit, or perhaps it was the simple fact that he had been a wolf at the time and did not pay attention, but something about being in the grove this time felt different.

It felt nostalgic. He almost felt as if he had been in this very wood numerous times before, and yet, it was so strange and mysterious to him. An emptiness hung about the twigs and greenery just as the fog above the ground consumed it. The feeling was overwhelming; it was as if someone very dear to him had once spent countless days here.

He was snapped from his thoughts when the skull kid he had encountered the previous time made its appearance yet again.

"Let's play!" it called, "I bet you can't find me…"

With those words, it vanished. Honestly, though, Link had no interest in 'playing;' he just wanted to find his way through this labyrinth of trees. The duo spent quite some time navigating through the tree trunks and rivers only to shortly begin growing frustrated with the maze they were in the middle of. He didn't understand, he thought, it had seemed so much easier the last time. He knew it wasn't because of his lupine senses - because those hadn't been much help at all - it was because they had followed the childish creature through the woods. Now that it was hiding from them, though, they had no guide and they were very much lost.

"I heard there's a little girl that sits in this forest playing a song on her ocarina, leading lost travelers through the maze of trees," Midna whispered into the hero's ear.

Link stopped walking and turned to her, "Really?" he asked bewildered.

The imp suddenly burst into laughter, "No! You're so gullible!" she said as she grasped at her sides.

"Very funny," he stated sarcastically.

The farther they made their way into the grove, the more things began to feel unfamiliar and peculiar. Even though the air felt empty - as if this dead place had once been teeming with life and was mourning its loss - there was still a hint of existence looming about them. He wasn't sure what it was, or if there was even anything there to consider, but he felt something that he could not describe.

As the day went on and the forest grew even darker than it had originated, the young man began feeling tired. It wasn't physical exhaustion that plagued him, but more so mental, as there were so many things about this place that weighed heavily upon his mind.

"Are we lost?" Midna inquired when Link halted in his tracks with an agitated sigh.

"What do you think?"

"So, that's a yes… I still think my idea about the little girl was a good one."

He gave her a look that said he was clearly not amused, and she just couldn't help but giggle.

"Alright, alright, I'll stop. How about we just take a break for a minute? I'm sure you just need to clear your head and then you'll be able to find your way – you always do."

"I suppose."

Having stopped right beside a trickling pond, he realized that he was quite in need of a drink. He got down on his knees and lowered a canteen from his pouch into the water. Once it was full, he tilted back and quenched his thirst. He wiped his lips dry with his forearm and submerged the flask under the liquid one more time, filling it up should he find himself without a source of water wherever he ventured next.

As he watched the bubbles of air escape from the opening of the bottle in his hand, an inexplicable presence in the distance made his heart jump. He didn't see anyone at first, didn't _hear_ anyone, but his instincts told him that someone – or something – was with them in this place.

In case it was an enemy approaching him, he did not turn sharply. With his head still facing forward, he gazed about at his surroundings with only his eyes. What he saw out of the peripherals of his vision was a dimly glowing form standing tall amongst the foliage. It was a feeling he got at that moment that instantly told him that this being did not mean him harm. He quickly turned and looked in that direction, only to see it walking off and out of his sight.

He stood so abruptly that he startled Midna, "What is it?" she asked worriedly.

"Did you see that?" he questioned seriously, not taking his eyes off of the direction it went in as he tightened the lid on his canteen and stuffed it away.

"See what?"

He didn't wait to answer her, he instead made after the form with haste.

"What is it, Link?" she called, following along behind him as he chased something unknown to her.

He was still quiet, intent on catching up to the glowing light. When he was able to spot it up ahead, he slowed in his pace. This time, however, the figure was not standing tall, but was instead on all fours. As it continued onward, passing by tree stumps and going in and out of Link's line of sight, he noticed that each time he saw it again, it was a different shape. The smaller, four-legged one seemed more real – more like it was truly there. It looked back at various intervals, almost as if it was trying to make sure the hero was still following it.

Just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone.

Link sighed, coming to a stop when Midna said, "What's going on? You're freaking me out."

"Sorry, Midna, I just – I saw something. Did you not see it?"

"I didn't see anything. Are you sure it wasn't just your eyes playing tricks on you?"

"I'm sure."

"Okay…" Midna said, knowing full well that Link wouldn't take this so seriously were it possible it wasn't true, "Well, what was it you saw? An animal? An enemy? That creepy skull kid?"

He shook his head, "Neither. Well… I'm not exactly sure."

When he looked over again, he noticed the being just a ways ahead, sitting back on its hind legs as if waiting for the hero to continue after it.

"It wants us to follow it," Link said, staring in the direction of the subject he spoke of.

Midna followed his gaze but saw nothing before her, "Link… I don't see anything."

"Trust me," he stated simply as he took off after the creature once again.

This beast he followed… he began to realize the longer he chased it that it looked just like the golden wolf that he had encountered a few times before when he was taught new sword techniques by the decrepit spirit. Could this be the same one? The wolf vanished when they came into an area with a beautiful waterfall. Link stopped dead in his tracks when an otherworldly sight suddenly came into view.

Sitting mere feet in front of him was the ancient Hero of Time.

The figure was translucent and surrounded by a ghostly mist, but he could still tell clearly that it was the hero of the past. He sat on a rock beside the river bed, a blue ocarina pressed to his lips, and a small fairy hovering beside his head. Link took a few apprehensive steps closer, the soft notes of the apparition's ocarina becoming louder as he approached. The melody was upbeat and cheery and in almost complete contrast from the gloomy, empty forest around them.

Midna noticed his wide-eyed gawking, but saw nothing in the direction he was facing, "Link… What are you doing?"

"You don't see him?"

"'Him'?" she reiterated, an eyebrow raised in confusion, "'Him' who?"

"It's the h-," the figure fading away and disappearing before his eyes stopped him midsentence. Just as the ghost vanished, though, the wolf reappeared to lead him further into the forest.

Link followed quickly, unaware to his companion's calls of 'wait' and 'stop' from behind him. As he sprinted through the thick branches and heavy underbrush, he saw the hero of old as a boy running alongside what seemed to be a childhood friend. It was a young girl with green hair and they were laughing together. When he passed by another tree trunk, the scene was gone, and the wolf continued on in front of him.

The deeper he went into the wood, the more scenes were acted out before him. What he saw next tore at his heartstrings. He saw the Hero of Time as a young boy, crumpled to his knees amongst the shrubbery in tears. He was wailing and calling out a name Link didn't recognize – something along the lines of… 'Navi.' He was shouting at the top of his lungs, obviously desperate and alone. But just like the other visions he had seen, it was gone as soon as the trunk of a large tree came in between them.

The golden wolf darted in and around the tree trunks like a natural, leaving behind a glowing trail as it went. Link ran behind it as quickly as he could, eager to keep pace with it and discover what it was trying so urgently to show him.

He glanced over his shoulder as another vision came into view. This time he saw a weary, young hero atop a filly that rather closely resembled his own Epona when she was a baby. The boy sat atop his foal with his head hung low and an exhausted look about him. The last thing Link saw before the ghosts disappeared was a child-like creature that looked similar to that of the skull kid with two fairies beside him approaching the Hero of Time from behind.

When he faced forward again, the wolf was gone. Link came to a stop, looking around in each direction for any sign of his guide.

"What _is up_ with you?" Midna demanded with a huff, "What in Din's name are you chasing after like a maniac?"

"You haven't seen anything at all, have you?"

"Uh, didn't we already have this discussion? No, I haven't seen anyone or anything. You sure you haven't lost it?"

"Positive. I know what I've been seeing – I think."

"Then what is it?"

"Well, do you remember the few times I've spontaneously passed out, like, right before we entered the Forest Temple for example?"

Midna paused, taking a second to snicker at his wording before thinking back on it, "Yeah, I guess so. Why?"

"I never told you, but those times I was greeted by a golden wolf and taken to some… I don't know… unearthly place, and the ghost of some ancient warrior teaches me skills there."

The imp cocked an eyebrow, obviously not believing a word of it.

"Alright," Link gave a slight chuckle, "I just realized how crazy that sounded. It's true, though, and I think that it's the same wolf I've been seeing here. I think it's trying to show me the way."

"Okay…" Midna said, a bit of a puzzled look on her face.

"But, what's even stranger is… I keep seeing images of the Hero of Time throughout the woods. I saw him at the river with a fairy, then I saw him running amongst the trees, and after that… I saw him crying and alone on the grass as a young boy."

The imp was silent.

"What do you think this means?"

"How should I know? I haven't seen a single thing."

He was taken aback at her short and snippy reply, even though it was true.

Midna could tell her response didn't sit well with him, and that he was simply looking for a thought out answer, so she tried her best to give him that, "I don't know what the wolf you're talking about and the Hero of Time have to do with each other. Maybe the wolf is trying to help you find where we're supposed to go, and maybe the visions of the old hero are just ghostly imprints left behind. Your light world books and texts say that he grew up in a forest, right?"

Link nodded.

"So, maybe you're just seeing random things that happened to him here. You two _are_ supposed to be connected somehow, anyway. Maybe that's a side effect of that," she suggested frankly.

"Yeah…" he took a moment to ponder it, "You could be right, but… I don't know."

"You found me!" a sudden, high-pitched voice from behind them snapped them from their conversation.

Link whirled around to find the skull kid standing before him with a lantern.

"You know…" the child began, a contemplative expression on its bizarre features, "You smell just like the fairy kid I knew once. We were friends… Will you be my friend?"

Genuinely confused, but never one to give anyone a bitter reply, he said, "Yeah, I can do that."

The skull kid smiled, "That makes me happy! That means you'll play with me, right?"

"Well," he began uneasily, "We actually have to find our way through the forest… Maybe you can help us?"

The boy's voice suddenly took on a deeper, angrier tone, "You don't want to play with me?"

Link didn't like the sudden change in the skull kid's demeanor – it was actually a bit eerie. The hero's response was a silent one.

"Why won't you play with me!" it shouted.

"I'm sorry, but we have something we must see to."

"No! You said you would be my friend! Friends play together! You _will_ play with me!" as he screeched those last few words, he pulled out a small horn from his pocket and blew into it with all his might. The sound was loud and harsh, and with it nearly a dozen creatures were summoned from the undergrowth.

When they began to advance on him, Link withdrew his blade and quickly started hacking away. These monsters were mindless and easy to dispatch of, having been made up of nothing more than leaves, branches, and various other foliage from the forest. The skull kid laughed as he watched the hero fight, dancing and periodically playing a tune on his instrument as he did so.

Once all the creatures were dealt with, the boy exclaimed, "See! Wasn't that fun? I like playing with you! You look just like the fairy boy I used to be friends with – you even wear the same clothes! Hee hee!"

"You knew a boy that looked like me?" Link asked, intrigued by the strange one's comment.

"I did, but he's long gone now. He didn't want to play with me anymore," he stated unnervingly.

Link furrowed his brow, a bit put off by the child's statement.

"I'm bored. I don't want to play with you anymore. Bye!" and just like that, the bizarre kid vanished amongst the trees.

Once she was sure he was gone from them, Midna spoke up, "I'm glad that thing is gone; it was seriously giving me the creeps."

"Yeah," Link agreed, "I think he had a significant role with the Hero of Time," he thought aloud.

Midna scoffed, "That weird kid? Yeah, right."

"He seemed like he knew him well."

"I doubt it. That thing has probably been here so long and decayed so far that it's no longer in its right mind."

"I guess," Link gave in, even though he did not agree with her statement.

It didn't take much longer or much more wandering before the hero's guide and guardian returned to show him the way. Link's sudden heightened pace startled Midna, but she didn't question it – she figured by now that he was seeing things again. She wasn't sure if he had been too exhausted, forcing his mind to start conjuring up things that weren't really there, or if he was truly seeing the Hero of Time as well as some kind of spiritual escort in these strange woods. The grove _did_ feel odd to her, but not any more so than it had on their first visit to this place. She didn't know what to think about her companion's invisible friends, but she supposed that if it led them to where they needed to go, it didn't really matter.

He saw fewer visions of the ancient hero as he followed the canine this time around. He trailed it up to an old, dilapidated looking archway with one of the stone giants blocking it firmly. The wolf disappeared before the useless slab of rock, leaving Link to guess at what he was to do next.

"What was the point in bringing us to this?" Midna asked skeptically.

"I don't know yet," he answered quietly as he ran his gloved hand down the face of the stone, trying to wrap his brain around what the significance of it could be.

"Are you sure that… '_wolf_' led us to the right place? There doesn't seem to be much of anything here."

A sudden movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention, and his head snapped in that direction. What he saw was the Hero of Time walking past him and heading down a nearby flight of steps, which was now nothing more than a pile of rubble in the current age. Link followed behind the apparition slowly, noticing that the ghostly imprint faded in and out of transparency. He continued after the spirit until he found himself in the wide open clearing in which he had drawn forth the Master Sword from its resting place months ago.

He watched in bewilderment as the old hero took the same legendary blade from his back and thrust it into the pedestal, only to remove it moments later as a mere child. Link rubbed his eyes, wondering if what he just witnessed was something that had truly happened. When he reopened them, the hero was walking away from the plinth until he vanished altogether.

"What did you see this time?" Midna questioned, her arms folded across her chest.

Link didn't say a word; instead, he followed his instincts and withdrew his sword from its scabbard.

Midna became instantaneously confused and worried, "What are you doing?"

He paid her no mind, he simply continued on with what he believed he had been instructed to do. He pointed the steel toward the earth and held it above the plinth momentarily. He took in a deep breath should the worst happen, closed his eyes, and drove the Master Sword into its original place. A strange sound could be heard from behind them, in the exact direction of the rock doors that the wolf had led him to only moments prior. Link quickly reclaimed his blade, returned it to its sheath, and sprinted towards the noise.

"Link! Will you please tell me what's going on!" Midna yelled as she floated after her partner as fast as she could.

He was still silent; not in such a way that he was purposely disregarding her concern, but in such a way that he was far too intrigued about what he may or may not have just discovered to even realize that she had uttered a word.

When he made his way up the pile of stone and rock that was once a staircase and in front of the double doors, he delightfully found that the statue that had been there formerly was now gone, granting him access to whatever lie in wait behind it. He approached the doors eagerly and pushed them open, revealing an entrance to what looked like an entirely different world.

"Whoa…" was all the imp could manage as she hovered beside her companion in awe.

Link simply stood before the doorway for a moment, contemplating where this could lead them. He walked around to the backside of the stone arch, only to find that it looked like nothing more than an opening to the other side. When he returned to the front again, though, it still appeared as a portal to a new place entirely.

"Could this be what the sages were talking about?" Midna wondered aloud.

"It must be."

"Where do you think it leads?"

"I don't know…" there was a brief pause of silence, "Shall we find out?"

Midna turned to look at him, a crooked smile on his face as he awaited her reply. She nodded with a smile of her own, "Yeah, let's go."

* * *

_**Follow the shadows amongst the trees.**_


	42. Counter Clockwise

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 3/23/14 – Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 42: Counter Clockwise

**.:.**

Nausea was a blunt hammer, greeting the hero bitterly as he stepped over the threshold and into a different realm. He instantly became woozy from the lack of stability as his world began turning before his eyes – all he could make out was a blur of dimly lit colors that did not match that of the forest.

He stumbled through the doorway, vertigo preventing him from walking in a straight line as his boots clicked on the tile beneath his feet. Dizziness overtook him and caused him to fall to one knee, and he used his good hand to brace himself against the ground so that he did not tumble all the way down. He was rapidly nearing the point of being sick from all the twirling colors and distorted shapes, but he managed to hold himself together just long enough. He panted and rested his throbbing head on the knee that was upright as he waited for the uncontrollable urge to vomit to pass.

Midna placed a gentle hand on the hero's back as she said, "Geez, Link, are you okay? You looked drunk the way you stumbled through that door."

Link lifted his hand from the ground and used it to rub his aching temples, "Yeah, just, suddenly felt sick is all. I'm okay."

"You sure?" she asked more genuinely as she hovered in front of his now-slightly-pale face.

He nodded as he continued to massage his forehead - although it helped with the headache, there was no cure for the uncomfortable twisting of his stomach but time, "Just give me a minute."

Midna nodded as she let her weight sink to the floor beside her companion as she waited patiently for him to be ready to continue.

As she sat there, she couldn't help but gawk at her surroundings, and she quickly forgot that Link was trying to get over his sickness as she began poking him excitedly in the shoulder, "Link! Look at this place!"

He blinked a few times slowly, letting his eyes readjust before opening them all the way. His headache was nearly gone, but he was still having trouble keeping his balance. He used a nearby banister to pull himself to his feet and once he was standing he leaned against it in order to help slow the spinning of the world around him. He squinted as he focused on stabilizing his environment, and in a few moments his equilibrium evened out.

Midna watched his expression as he glanced about the room in awe just as she had. After giving him a few seconds to let it sink in, she asked, "Where in Hyrule are we?"

"This…" he began as his mind put two and two together, but stopped when he realized that they couldn't _really_ be where he thought they were.

She noticed his strange expression clearly, "What? Do you recognize this place?"

He nodded as he continued looking around. They stood at the top of a tall staircase, a stone handrail following along it. Glistening, marble tiles adorned the floors, walls, and ceiling. In the center of the floor sat a delicately placed symbol of the Triforce, and beyond it was an archway leading into a room that – if this was the place Link thought it to be – once housed the Master Sword.

Recognizing that he was no longer dizzy and his spontaneous nausea had left him, he sprinted down the stairwell and into the adjacent corridor that he had quickly become incredibly excited over. What he saw when he entered had done nothing short of steal his breath.

The ivory floors… the three story tall stained glass windows… the slightly raised middle ground with a familiar stone plinth in the center… He definitely knew this place.

"This is the Temple of Time," he stated simply.

"The one during the Hero of Time's existence?"

"Yeah."

Midna furrowed her brow, "How do you know?"

"I've seen so many pictographs and paintings of this very room in old books my mother used to show me… I'd know this place anywhere. All that's left in our time is the rubble we saw by the statues and the pedestal that held the Master Sword. It's all just forest now."

There was a brief pause as the realization kicked in, "So, wait… We went back in time?"

"Yeah… I guess when I struck the Master Sword into its place back in the Sacred Grove it altered what would otherwise be a plain doorway into a portal through time."

"That explains why you got all dizzy and sick – they say time travel can really take a toll on a person."

Link nodded once slowly as her words sunk in.

After a bit of silence, Midna spoke up again, "So, we went back in time, but… there's nothing here. What do we do now?"

Link paused as he pondered her question, and right before his eyes he saw the Hero of Time delving the Master Sword into its resting place, just as he had seen it happen back in the forest. It had helped them get here last time, he thought, so maybe it would open another way to them again.

Grasping the hilt of his blade and pointing it towards the ground, he approached the empty pedestal and drove the legendary steel into its former home. Just as he did so, a staircase suddenly appeared right in front of him, materializing step by step and leading up to the base of one of the many large windows. He looked to Midna who had a shocked, yet pleased, look on her face.

When she motioned for him to go ahead he darted up the stairs. As he drew nearer to the top, the stained glass window began to vanish to reveal a hidden alcove behind it and a dark doorway at the end of the hall.

He made his way through the unlit corridor and found that it opened up into a rather large room. It was grand in design – its every architectural detail was elaborate and luxurious – but the enclosing walls seemed to hold a cold emptiness about them, much like the woods had.

Tiles, marble, granite… Nothing but stonework and hard floors made the space feel even colder than the sheer lack of life had. This was not the Temple of Time that Link had always pictured in his mind when he was growing up. When he was little, his mother had described it as a beautiful place of worship in which people from all walks of life would join together to sing praises to the golden Goddesses. He imagined it being filled with townsfolk, apostles, priests and pastors, but now, as it sat empty before him, it was almost like witnessing the death of a childhood fantasy.

His boots clicked on the hard tile that lay beneath them, the echo from it reverberating off the stone walls and returning to him twice as loud as it had originated. He looked around in confused awe, wondering what could have happened to this once-bustling place. He couldn't help but wonder… was the staircase that manifested before him actually there in the past and accessible to all people? Or was it then just as it had been to him now: a secret passage accessible to the few that can withdraw the hero's blade?

"It seems so…" the imp began, pausing for a brief second as she came up with a fitting word, "lifeless. Didn't people used to visit this temple?"

Link nodded, "As I was told, yes, people visited it frequently."

"Then… where are the people? We were obviously sent back to a time before the building was destroyed, or fell apart – whatever it was that happened to it – and it still looks pretty up kept, so… why isn't anyone here?"

Link shook his head as he was at a loss himself, "I don't know."

"Well, I guess there's no sense wondering about that; we weren't sent here for a history lesson, after all. We were sent here to find the mirror piece. So, it's probably going to be another string of puzzles like the other places we've been to."

"I figured as much," Link said simply, honestly never having expected anything less, "But, where to start…"

They both searched the wide, spacious room for a moment, looking for any peculiar buttons or switches or anything of the sort that might point to a way forward. Link stopped when he noticed a bizarre looking statue next to the doorway across from where they had entered. It stood tall to the left of the door holding what appeared to be a weapon in its hands. He then looked to the other side of the door, expecting to find a similar statue, only to find it empty. There was an indentation in the ground on that spot, though, indicating that it was highly likely that an identical statue belonged there.

"Midna," Link called, drawing his companion's attention as she had been investigating the room. When he felt her presence beside him, he continued, "Don't you think there's something off here?"

Midna followed the hero's gaze and after a quick examination she replied, "You're right… In the grove and in the temple entry, there were always matching statues on each side, but there's only one here."

"We're going to have to find the statue that goes here to pass through this door then," Link concluded.

Midna nodded, "Exactly what I was thinking."

With a nod, they were off. It didn't take long for Link to find a nearby switch on the floor that, when held down, raised a nearby section of the flooring allowing access to a higher up staircase. Midna gave her tiny body form and held down the button, giving the hero time to run over to it and ascend the stairs, hovering after him quickly as soon as he was up. When Link stopped abruptly after having only made it to the fifth or so step, Midna practically ran into him.

"What are you doing?" she barked after skidding to a halt right behind him.

He said not a word, instead he watched as another ethereal image of the Hero of Time manifested before him. The olden hero was running up the stairs, skipping two steps in each bound, slicing down foes as if they were but measly shrubbery blocking his path. He paid no mind to their weapons swinging in his direction, he paid no mind to their claws and fangs lunging at him, he merely cut them down without a glance and with the simplest of ease Link had ever seen. When the apparition reached the top of the stairs, it disappeared.

"Seeing things again?" Midna inferred from her companion's dazed look.

He nodded, "Yeah… Let's go," he said quickly as he made his way to the second floor with haste, in hopes that he would catch up with the ghost.

After having crossed the threshold at the top of the stairwell that led into another area of the temple entirely, he found a single, yet large, spider crawling on the floor. He planned on leaving it be, but when it charged him he ended it with a single swing from his blade.

"Ugh," Midna huffed, "I hate bugs."

"As much as you hate rats?" Link asked with a sly grin.

She shivered, "I'm not sure which I hate worse."

"It seemed to me like those rats back in the Arbiter's Ground really got to you."

"For Din's sake, Link! Those were a million times worse because I could _feel_ them but I couldn't _see_ them!" she squirmed as just the thought of them gave her the feeling of dozens of feet and claws running up and down her spine, "Ugh! Don't even remind me of those disgusting vermin!" she yelled as she rubbed her hands over her body and frantically looked down at herself, making sure that no such foul creature was on her.

Link chuckled, "Alright, I won't mention them again."

As they began making their way through the rooms and solving the mysteries that lie within them, Link began seeing the ancient hero more and more. Mostly the visions were of him battling monsters and vicious creatures. Link was mesmerized by the way in which the ghost of the hero fought – he made it look like swordplay was easy and like staring down a foe twice your size was no big deal.

He gaped as the Hero of Time took down lesser enemies like Bokoblins and Keese all the way to immensely intimidating beasts like Stalfos and large, armor-clad warriors that Link had learned to go by two different names: Iron Knuckles and Darknuts. Those didn't look too frightening at first glance, but as Link watched the hero be nearly squashed by a deathly blow from the fiend's massive axe time and time again, it began to form a knot in his stomach.

"Are you seeing him again?" Midna whispered when she noticed her comrade staring at what appeared to be absolutely nothing for what felt like the thirtieth time.

"Yeah… I keep seeing him in battle."

"Huh. Maybe the Goddesses think you could use a few pointers," Midna said sarcastically.

Link gave her a look and she couldn't help but giggle.

"Oh come on, when did you stop taking jokes?" she said with a slight shove on his good shoulder.

"I didn't, it's just… I don't understand why I'm seeing images of the hero so much."

"Well, I think it's like what I said back in the woods: you're seeing imprints of things that happened to him in these places that he frequented."

"But, if that was true, it doesn't add up."

Midna furrowed her brow but was quiet, waiting for him to continue on and explain his reasoning.

"If I'm just seeing '_imprints_' of what he did, or '_stains_' plastered through time in these places where he spent so much of his life, then wouldn't I have seen him more often in, say… Kakariko Village? Or Hyrule Castle Town? I know, without a doubt, that the hero spent a lot of time in Castle Town. Shouldn't I have seen some '_imprints_' of him there, then? If that's how it works?" Link asked curiously.

"Huh," Midna huffed after realizing her suggestion was clearly invalid, "I don't know. Maybe it's just because of how much the grove and this temple are connected to time."

Link paused as his mind ran over her words a few times before everything started making more sense, "You're right. Back in the woods, right before I drove the Master Sword into its pedestal and activated the doorway that led us here, I saw the hero delve the sword into its place as an adult, but as the light faded and he walked away, he was a mere child."

Midna's eyes narrowed, "That means he was able to travel back and forth through time?" she paused, a look of realization on her features as she exclaimed, "So that's why they call him the Hero of Time!"

Instead of rejoicing in the sudden connection and understanding with his partner, Link, instead, looked even more perplexed.

Midna noticed the strange look he had taken on and asked, "What's wrong?"

"My mother never told me about the hero time travelling," he paused, and after a moment he gave a dry chuckle, the kind you would hear when one is embarrassed at their own ignorance, "I never even questioned or wondered why he had such a title; I just accepted it as nothing more than a name and learned all I could about him. Why do you think my mother would have kept such a vital part of his story from me?"

Midna shrugged, "Maybe she didn't know herself? No one in my tribe knew about that, either. Honestly, maybe _no one_ knew. I mean… think about it: are you ever going to reveal every little detail about your journey to anyone?"

"No," Link answered simply and without even a second of thought, "I would never want my friends or family to know what I've done and seen. They would never think of me the same. I honestly didn't even want Rusl knowing what he knows already; it was just unavoidable."

"Exactly. So… maybe he just never told anyone, and for that reason, no one ever knew."

Link simply nodded without saying a word. He pressed onward in a bit of a daze, trying to organize his rampant thoughts as he avoided traps and solved minor puzzles. It didn't take long at all before the young hero began seeing the ancient hero again and again. It was beginning to seem like each time he saw him again, he was battling a larger or more fearsome foe.

Midna panicked when they entered a massive room with a countless number of spiders. These insects had at least been considerably smaller than the single, lone spider they had encountered earlier, but they were still so extreme in numbers that it disturbed the pair of them equally. Link swung his sword wildly, dispatching of the baby arachnids with ease.

When they turned over onto their backs and curled up as they died – making an awful screeching noise all the while – Midna could hardly keep from being sick at the sight. Link cleared the room quickly, not only for his companion's sake, but for his own as well. With spiders so large, it was impossible to tell what a simple bite from one would be capable of; he didn't want to find out, either.

As Link sheathed his blade and turned on his heel, ready to continue forward, a downright bone-chilling sight stopped him dead in his tracks. Immediately after turning around, he was met with a face so drastically like his own that it nearly stopped his heart from beating in his chest. This face, however, was dark as night and resembled that of nothing more than a shadow. The hair that framed this being's features was ashen, and the cap that lay atop its head was as black as its matching tunic. Its deep crimson eyes bore into him like lasers, and Link found himself unable to look away. The overwhelming sudden attack of fear and shock rooted him firmly to his spot.

When it suddenly raised its blade high overhead and prepared to bring it crashing down upon him, he found that he didn't have time to draw his own weapon. Instead, he quickly dodged to the left and bolted out of the line of fire.

As he rolled on the floor and out of the way, however, the very distinct sound of metal clanking against metal could be heard from behind him. When he got back to his feet he saw the Hero of Time standing where he had been only seconds ago holding the Master Sword up in defense against the shadowy creature's blade. He could see the strain on the hero's face, the sweat on his brow – it all looked so lifelike it boggled his mind.

After a few seconds of struggling, the ancient hero was able to push back the imposter and just as he was about to take a swing in the being's moment of weakness, it backflipped out of the way.

A tiny blue ball of light hovered beside the hero's head, and a high-pitched little voice could suddenly be heard shouting, _"Conquer yourself!"_

Link watched in awe as the two fought. He was so utterly confused, though; the darker creature looked _exactly_ like him – _exactly_ like the Hero of Time – only… _evil_. Malevolence was the foggy mist that covered the doppelganger head to toe; it simply radiated it. It reminded Link bitterly of the darker versions of himself that he had seen in the horrifying vision the light spirit Lanayru had showed him all those months ago.

He simply stared, motionless, for what felt like hours to Midna. He watched as the hero would take a hit, then the lookalike would take a hit, but mostly their swords banged against each other incessantly. Their fighting styles were identical, and it was as if each one knew what the other was going to do before they could even twitch a muscle in that direction. It seemed like the battle would never end, but Link noticed that the apparitions were fading in and out, and each time they reappeared, they both looked to be much more exhausted and beaten – it was as if time was fast forwarding in spurts and allowing Link to see the outcome of the battle in a shorter time.

To Link's relief, the skirmish ended with the hero the victor. His mind understood the whole time that he simply _had_ to have won the battle, but he couldn't convince his pounding heart of that during the intensity of watching it occur before his eyes. The hero had taken quite the beating, though, and the last thing he saw before the ghostly figures completely disappeared was the Hero of Time crumpling to his knees while his companion hovered frantically beside him.

When Link snapped back to reality he noticed that Midna was plopped down on the ground some feet away, leaning against the wall with her hands rested behind her head, simply waiting for him.

He looked over at her strangely, "When did you become so patient?" he asked with a smirk.

"When you started going crazy and seeing things," she said with a playful grin of her own, knowing that she got him back perfectly.

He chuckled, "Fair enough. Let's go then," he said as he began heading towards the next room they had yet to explore.

"What, you're not gonna tell me what you were gawking at for the last ten minutes?" Midna questioned as she sat up straight.

He turned back to her, "Uh, I guess, if you really want to know."

"Obviously I do, or I wouldn't have asked."

He scratched the back of his neck, "Well, uh, it was the Hero of Time battling… himself?" he said, unsure of exactly how to describe it.

She cocked an eyebrow, "'Battling _himself_'?"

"Battling an _evil_ version of himself, that is."

Midna was silent for a moment, a dumbfounded look on her face before she said, "Weird. Let's hope that never happens to you, huh?" she giggled.

"Yeah, definitely."

Link found himself growing more and more surprised as he ventured farther into the temple. There were so many booby traps and rather advanced mechanisms that he would have assumed were far beyond their time. Spikes, lasers, guillotines, and electrical fences were vast in number and all of them took their turns coming dangerously close to seriously injuring the hero. Dipping and dodging had been nothing short of difficult without having the use of both arms.

Finding themselves in a second room infested with spiders had been disgusting, but when they came across a _third_ room crawling with endless arachnids, Midna started freaking out.

"Why are there so many!" she screeched, "Ugh! Seriously, the first two hundred weren't enough? Huh? You just had to throw more our way!"

"Who in Hyrule are you yelling at?" Link shouted as he took out the insects with swing after swing.

"Your dumb Goddesses! Why would they even create this many of such a disgusting creature? Doesn't the world only need a few? I know for a fact it doesn't need _this_ many! So _gross_!"

Link couldn't help but laugh at his comrade's dramatics, but in his brief moment of carelessness, one of the spiders had managed to latch itself onto the hero's sword arm. He could feel its chelicerae sinking into his flesh for a moment before his instincts kicked in and he whisked his arm back, flinging the pesky arachnid off of him. He gave a slight grunt of pain and attempted to grasp at his wound until his brain registered that his other arm was still of no use to him. He ignored the bite long enough for him to exterminate the last of the vermin.

He winced as he sheathed his blade and looked down at his forearm, just below his elbow, where the insect had bitten him. He saw two large, round puncture marks through his cream undershirt and into his skin. The wounds bled a considerable amount, but not excessively.

Midna, having been too perturbed by the bugs to pay attention, hadn't seen the insect attack her companion. She turned and noticed the worried expression on her partner's face and followed his line of vision to his arm as she asked, "What happened?"

"Bit me," he stated flatly, "You think it was venomous?"

Hadn't she heard that exact sentence before? Ah, yes, she remembered now; he had asked her that very same question back in the Lakebed Temple after he had gotten stung by the jellyfish. She could recall her response as well: "_I'm sure you're fine_," she had said. She cringed inwardly as she thought of how selfish and careless she had been back then – she remembered knowing that he wasn't fine at the time, but she just didn't care to let him know that; she wanted him to continue on and get her that Fused Shadow. This time, she was going to tell him the truth.

"Honestly? Yeah, most spiders are at least somewhat venomous. Was it latched onto you very long?"

"A few seconds."

She sighed, knowing that was plenty of time for the venom to enter his bloodstream. One of her good friends had received a nasty spider bite back home in her realm and it had taken quite some time for her to recover from the poison. She remembered it well - sitting by her friend's side as she got better. She did, of course, get better, but it wasn't an easy process.

"I guess we should just bandage it up so it doesn't get infected," she said as she reached into the hero's pouch on his waist and grabbed out some cloth the shaman had left for him. She began wrapping his arm as she said, "I don't know how your body will react to it. Well, actually, I don't know if spiders from the light world differ from the ones I'm used to, so I guess I'm not gonna be of much help. I say let's just hurry up and get out of here."

Link sighed, "And here I was thinking I was going to finally make it out of one of these places unscathed," he said with a light-hearted chuckle.

"Not funny," Midna stated plainly.

"Alright, alright," he gave in with a crooked smile. "That's good," he stopped her, pulling his arm away, "Thank you. Let's go."

When the hero stepped over the threshold that had proven to be the only way forward, his heart jumped when the door suddenly locked behind him. He looked back to see a heavy metal grating barring the exit. He sighed, knowing exactly what that meant by this point in his journey. Locked doors always meant danger was afoot.

He brandished his blade, holding it out in defense of whatever awaited him in the darkness of this massive, empty corridor. As he stepped into the light of a far window on the opposite side of the chamber, he spotted a statue that almost exactly resembled that of the one at the entrance to the temple. Midna hurried out of his shadow and flew up to the stone sculpture to examine it closer.

"This is the matching statue, Link! This is the one we need!" she yelled enthusiastically.

Good, Link thought, but then he wondered… how in Hyrule was he going to get it down from that ledge?

He still walked slowly, having learned the hard way after all this time that something was definitely preparing to attack him in this room. He didn't know what, or who, it was, but this had come so routine by now that he could almost explain the manner in which he would be assaulted. It would either fall from the ceiling, leap out from behind him when he wasn't expecting it, or it would be someone or something he would have never thought he would end up fighting.

He was getting fed up with how familiar battles and attacks have become to him. Would he ever be able to return to a normal life if he was constantly jumping at every quick action or always wondering if some beast was preparing to launch itself at him? That was a question he was beginning to ask himself on a daily basis. The answer was always the same: he wasn't so sure he could.

Directly in the center of the room, another apparition of the Hero of Time battling a Darknut flooded in in a hazy mist. Something seemed off about this vision, though. When he had previously seen the hero face off against Darknuts or Iron Knuckles, they were wielding enormous steel axes that they brought raining down upon him with insurmountable force. This time, the enemy was holding a simple - yet still large and very foreboding - blade and a round shield. Its armor was different as well, as it wore a knight's helm on its head.

Link approached the two battling cautiously, merely wanting a closer look at the armored foe. The old hero was quick and nimble on his feet, rolling just out of the way of the fiend's weapon each time. When Link closed in the distance and stood only ten or so feet away, the Darknut lifted its blade overhead and brought it down heavily upon the Hero of Time. The steel cut through the fog that was the hero's form, and Link could no longer see him. When the knight still stood tall, looking as real as ever in front of him, Link's heart skipped a beat. The enemy wasn't a vision, it was actually, _physically there_, and it didn't look pleased to see him.

The enemy flaunted its heavy blade, swinging it in the young Hylian's direction a few times, attempting to instill fear in him. Link tightened his grip on the hilt of his own weapon, preparing for what would undoubtedly be a difficult encounter without the use of his shield. His adversary advanced on him slow and menacingly, so Link took the initiative of making the first move.

As his blade was about to make contact, the Darknut positioned his guard and Link's sword bounced off of it, putting the hero off balance for a second. The enemy then pulled back, getting ready for another strike. It had been slow, and Link was able to leap out of the way and get behind the Darknut, slicing fiercely at its backside.

It groaned as various pieces of its ancient armor crumbled to the ground, leaving it a little less protected. Link took advantage of its moment of weakness and struck again and again, until finally the knight whirled around and took a swipe at the hero. Link's reflexes were quick, though, and he backflipped out of the way just in time. He smirked, growing a bit cocky as he realized how simple this battle was going to be; this creature was moving at a snail's pace! Finally, he thought, a fight in which he was clearly the superior and at long last he wasn't going to have to dance with death today.

When Link had succeeded in breaking off practically all of his opponent's armor, it appeared as if that had only just commenced the beginning of what would be the _true_ battle. The Darknut dashed and skidded across the floor so quickly that Link could barely follow its movements. It hurled its thick blade through the air at the hero and he leapt out of the way, but the steel came right back to its master like a boomerang.

It tossed the heavy, bulkier weapon to the side, now, instead, brandishing a smaller, thinner blade that would allow for faster movements in battle. The fiend didn't waste any time – as soon as its new weapon was firm in its grasp, it launched after the hero at top speed.

It crossed the distance between them in a single motion so fast that Link had little time to react. He had been _just_ quick enough, though, bringing the Master Sword up to bear the brunt of the onslaught. The Darknut did not falter, and its power did not wane; it pushed down against the hero's blade with its own with all of its might. Link was being overcome, and quickly; the beast's power proved to be more than the hero could muster with his single arm.

As Link's knees began buckling beneath the force, his muscles responded involuntarily and did something he would probably regret later. He grunted something awful in pain as he lifted his injured right arm out of the sling and pressed his open palm against the flat side of the steel of the Master Sword. Even though his shield arm was still healing and not at its full potential, having both of his arms to push back against the Darknut gave him the strength he needed to match that of his rival.

Summoning the power and convincing himself to ignore the inevitable pain that would no doubt come with the following action, he pushed against the knight's blade with all his might and was able to overpower it, forcing it to back up and relieve the hero of the pressure it was laying on top of him.

Link cradled his hurt arm momentarily, but quickly snapped back to the battle when he noticed that the Darknut was returning for more almost instantly. Link was more than done with this creature by now. He pressed on through the discomfort of using his arm and unleashed every drop of strength within him as he beat his blade against his adversary endlessly. His foe parried and blocked most of his swings, but quite a few had been successful. The Darknut had managed to get slice in on his cheek and in an instant when Link hadn't been quick enough to react, it cut violently across the hero's chest.

He grunted as he tumbled to his knees and Midna gasped from her perch beside the statue. The pain had come and gone, though, and Link rushed back to his feet in order to resume the battle. The imp was confused; the strike had hit dead center and had appeared deadly, and yet, there was no blood. Thankfully, the hero's chainmail had prevented the blow from being fatal – it had hurt immensely, and would undeniably leave a nasty bruise, but at least it wasn't a flesh wound.

Growing tired of the useless slashing back and forth, Link got an idea. He ignored the protest of his right arm as he hastily strapped on his shield and went over in his mind how he was going to perform this move that the old skeleton had showed him. He waited for the perfect time, right after the ancient being had attempted a lethal blow only to ricochet off the hero's guard – it was his opening. As his opponent stumbled back off balance, Link bashed his Hylian Shield against it punitively, rendering it even more unstable than it already was. In its state of confusion, the hero leapt high into the air and over the top of the Darknut where he took the Master Sword and sliced cleanly into the head of his enemy.

As he landed in a crouched position directly behind the knight, he could hear its lifeless body hit the ground like a ton of bricks. He stood and turned to see his foe vanquished, at which he heaved a heavy sigh and sheathed his blade.

"Link, you idiot! Are you okay?" Midna asked worriedly as she hovered over to him, examining the cut on his cheek.

"I'm fine."

She ran a dainty hand across the clean slit through his tunic where the Darknut had nearly cut out his heart, "That heavy mail finally proved its worth, huh?"

He looked down, "Yeah. That probably would've been the end otherwise," he said.

When Midna suddenly opened her arms wide and flew into the hero's chest, grabbing him tightly into a hug, he said not a word, he simply wrapped his arms around her small frame – even though a jolt of pain surged through his right as he did so. He was confused at her sudden behavior, but he didn't question it; it touched his heart that she had become so warm towards him.

After a few moments of merely taking comfort in one another's embrace in complete silence, the imp pulled back and wiped a tear from her eye that she hoped so desperately that he didn't see.

"What is it, Midna?" Link asked softly.

She sniffled, "Oh, nothing. Just… I don't know what I would have done with myself if you didn't have that chainmail on and you… you know."

"Midna," Link chuckled, finding her words slightly absurd, "You're always the one reminding me how many times I've come within inches of death. You really think I would've let _that_ do me in?"

He placed a finger under her chin and lifted it until she made eye contact and she said, "You're right. I just get worried is all."

"Well, don't, okay? I'm not going to give up that easily."

"Promise?" she asked through still-wet lashes.

He nodded with a smile, "Promise."

* * *

_**To learn from an ancient hero.**_


	43. Stains of Time

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 4/13/14 – Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 43: Stains of Time

**.:.**

"What do you suppose it does?" Link asked curiously, holding up and examining the strange artifact they had discovered in a nearby chest after having defeated the Darknut.

"Beats me," Midna shrugged.

Link furrowed his brow as his eyes scanned the length of the peculiar rod-like object. It was made of silver with ornate carvings in a language that the hero could not read along the top. He studied them long and hard, hoping that if he could decode them he might discover the importance of this relic. Try as he might, though, he was unable to decipher the foreign runes.

"It can't be a weapon; it's much too frail and would break after a single strike," the hero thought aloud, trying to figure out this object's purpose.

"Are you sure it's even supposed to do anything? Maybe it was lying around because it's just a piece of junk that no one wanted anymore."

Link didn't seem convinced, "I don't think so. It looks important, doesn't it?"

Midna shrugged her shoulders yet again, "It just looks like some twinkling fairy wand to me."

Link gave her a look.

"What? It does! Look at it! It looks like it might sprinkle fairy dust on me or something," she then gasped in mock surprise, placing her hands on her cheeks to aid in the display, "Maybe that's what it does! Sprinkles fairy dust and makes that person fly! Let's try it on you!"

"Very funny," Link said sarcastically.

"I thought so, too!" Midna chirped, happily keeping herself entertained as she hovered through the air.

Link didn't give into her teasing though; he _knew_ it had to be good for something. He swung it around a few times, getting a feel for how it moved, assuring him that it was most certainly _not_ intended to be a weapon. As he continued swinging it about, a very brightly glowing light formed on the tip of the rod for a brief second.

"Whoa," Midna said, "What was that?"

He stared at the device in his hands and then looked up at the direction it might have been pointing to in that instance that the light had manifested, "I think it had a reaction to something in this room."

He then pointed the rod in the air and followed the same path he had just taken with it, basically retracing his steps in order to find what it had responded to. Right when the object directly faced the statue at the end of the room on a high ledge, the tip lit up once again.

"Okay…" Midna began, "So, it lights up. What's the point in that?"

Link said not a word; he already had an idea in his mind. With the apparatus pointed towards the stone figure, he flicked his arm forward. The light left the top of the device, soared through the air, and planted itself into the center of the statue. The green light remained in the hollowed out middle where it pulsed in beats of two, resembling the pounding of a heart. It illuminated lines along the carved stone and brought the sculpture to life.

The hero's eyes went wide as the statue followed his every movement. He had had an inkling that throwing the light at the stone _might_ have some helpful reaction, but he never would have guessed that it would have given it _life_.

"Alright," Midna sighed, "That's pretty cool. My apologies to the fairy wand."

Link chuckled, "Well, now we have the matching statue. Shall we reunite it with its companion?"

Midna nodded, but before they turned to leave she said, "You know, this place hasn't turned out to be so bad. I mean, yeah, you had a run-in with a spider bite and a tough battle with that big, armored guy just now, but there's no lava, no underwater mazes, no snow, no dead skeletons screaming at us or evil poes scaring us half to death. I'd say that's pretty amazing."

"You're right," Link said, realizing just how true that was, "But, let's not jinx it."

"I just thought since mostly everything that happens to us is negative, I would point out any instance possible that's positive. It wouldn't hurt to think on the bright side every once in a while, right?"

Link smiled, "Yeah… Thanks, Midna."

She furrowed her brow, "For what?"

"For being you."

He didn't wait for a response; he started for the door with the statue copying his every stride. Midna grinned widely at his back before following behind him as well.

Before the door leading out of the large chamber sat a round, slightly raised platform on the floor. Link, knowing that he couldn't get the stone figure through the door, thought he would take his chances with placing it on the plinth. When he did just that, a large object shaped like a bell lowered from the ceiling, covered the statue within itself, and rose back to the sky taking the sculpture with it.

To his delight, he saw that the statue had been transported into the next room over as soon as he stepped over the threshold. Having the bells to help him get the stone back to the entrance would surely make his job a lot easier, he thought.

He soon came to discover that not only did the statue mirror the hero's leg actions so as to make it walk and turn and other things similar, it also mimicked his arm movements. So, when Link would thrust the rod down like a sword, the statue would swing down its heavy, stone hammer in the same fashion. Using this method, the hero had its stone companion break down any and all barriers it could that barred their path – he even used it to help him defeat enemies.

He sighed inwardly in relief as he thought that maybe Midna was right, maybe this would end up being the easiest task they had undertaken thus far. Now with the sculpture to aid him, he wouldn't even have to fight!

He began making his way through the following corridors with the simplest of ease. Whenever a foe or an obstacle would stand in his way, he would merely have the statue break it to pieces, and they would move on.

Something happened in one of the chambers, however, that Link did not anticipate.

A scene began to manifest before his eyes, and he was expecting to see another image of the Hero of Time battling some epic fiend; he was drastically wrong. The setting that appeared before him was one that looked all too familiar, as did the person that faded in seconds later. He saw the small home he had grown up in as a child, and he saw his mother cooking something in the kitchen. Link dropped the rod, letting it clank noisily to the ground as he took a few steps closer to the sight before him.

He stopped dead in his tracks when he realized just what it was he was about to see. His mother suddenly whirled around at the sink, a distressed look on her weary features. He could hear her whisper under her breath, _"Smoke,"_ and he could then see the panic on her face. She immediately dropped what she was doing and ran to the front door only to find that it had been barred from the outside, along with the single window adjacent to it.

She banged on the door with her fists screaming, _"Help! Someone please! Help me!"_

He wanted so badly to run in and help her, but he knew he couldn't. He prayed that his father had at least made it in time to save her from the burning building.

But all that came was that same repulsive voice that had plagued his mind for years from the opposite side of the door, _"No one can hear you now,"_ it said, and then it _laughed_.

Link shook his head, not wanting to see anymore, but he couldn't take his eyes away. The scene faded just as pieces of lumber and debris from the house began tumbling in on top of his mother and a tear fell down his cheek as it diminished. Before he could recover from what he saw, though, another image whisked into his line of sight. This time he saw the exterior of his old home, flames and smoke spewing wildly from the roof.

The vile creature – who he knew now to be King Bulblin – stood outside the window, watching in glee as his mother burned inside their crumbling home. His father then came galloping into view, his sword held high as he yelled, _"Get the hell away from my house you filthy demon!"_

The massive Bulblin turned around slowly, an evil grin on its face as it said, _"It's a shame you weren't home when the house caught fire. Now your hideous wife is dead! Hah!"_

At first, his father didn't say anything, he could see the guilt on his face as he looked at his home ablaze.

"_She screamed for you,"_ it said in a low, intimidating voice, _"She screamed your name as she burned to death. But you were nowhere to be found. Pity she had to die alone and in pain because her husband couldn't come save her!"_

He could see his father grasping the hilt of his blade tighter and tighter, his knuckles turning a ghostly pale white from the pressure.

King Bulblin then decided to throw in one last remark, _"After I kill you, your pitiful excuse of a son is next."_

The fierce determination he saw on his father's features at that moment made Link's blood run cold – he had never seen his father look so angry, so full of pure, unbridled _hatred_. He charged his steed at the monster with a loud war cry, but as soon as they made contact, the ogre grasped his horse around the neck and tossed it harshly to the side, causing his father to fall from the saddle some feet away. His father was alright and mostly unscathed as he had just simply been knocked down. The horse, however, was dead.

He looked sadly at his beloved steed and longtime friend, ever fueling his fury farther.

"_One on one, then? So be it," _he heard his father mumble under his breath, lividness ripe in his tone as he approached the Bulblin.

It laughed, but he did not falter. He charged the beast when it hadn't been expecting it and got a clean slice in on its side. The king roared in anger and took a swipe of its own, only to miss as the Hylian ducked underneath the horizontal slash.

Link watched so intently he was almost positive he was truly there and this was actually happening in front of him. His heart pounded in his ears and he could almost throw up from the anxiety of watching his father fight. Even though, in reality, he knew the outcome of this tragic battle, it seemed so real that he thought for a moment that his father might walk away the victor.

Midna noticed his more-glazed-over-than-usual look on his face and said, "Hey, are you alright?"

He said nothing; he just continued to watch the history unfold before him. His father had been quick, dodging nearly each and every swipe that the beast took at him. But when he had made one simple mistake, one single misstep… that had been his undoing. Just as he was feigning left and moving right, King Bulblin performed a wide sweeping attack, allowing him to hit the man no matter which way he would have chosen to move. The slash had struck him straight across the stomach and cut much too deep to be anything but fatal.

When his body soared across the field and slammed into the decaying walls of their home, Link had to turn away – he couldn't stand to see anymore. It had taken the better part of his childhood to move on after his parents had died, and now it felt like it just happened all over again. A bitter pain rooted in his chest and he almost thought he was going to be sick. He tried to stifle the tears so as to not worry Midna, but he was unable.

"Hey, hey, hey," Midna chimed nervously, noticing the wetness cascade down his cheek, "What is it? What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

Link just shook his head, not wanting to explain anything to her at the moment. He couldn't fathom why the Goddesses would do this to him. Hadn't he suffered enough at their hands? But to make him relive the pain of losing his parents? As if it hadn't been horrid enough knowing they were murdered and seeing the aftermath in his father's dead body, but to watch it actually happen… To be shown his mother trapped inside their home as it burned and caved in around her… To be shown the vicious way in which his father fought to save his family only to be killed in the end… It made him writhe.

It made him furious.

It made him _sick_.

"Link, please, talk to m-"

"No, Midna! Not now, okay? Just… just, stop…" he started as a yell only to slowly weaken into whimpers as he crumpled to his knees on the cold ground.

He hung his head low as the slightly contained tears turned into uncontrollable sobs. Midna hovered high above, remaining for a moment at the same level at which he had been previously standing. She was so utterly confused. It pained her to see him upset, and yet, she had no idea why he was so much so. They had just been walking through the temple when he suddenly stopped and stood in silence for what seemed like forever. She knew he was probably just seeing the old hero again but she couldn't imagine what he could've possibly witnessed to make him this upset.

Link didn't often cry, get angry, or show strong emotions, so it worried her intensely on the rare occasion that he _did_ because she knew that meant it had to be something serious.

She let her weightless form sink down to the ground in front of her companion, but she said not a word. She simply sat and waited, giving him his space and some time to calm himself. She knew him well enough by now to understand that he never overreacted unless it was something worthy of such a reaction, and when it was, he would only need a moment or two before he could speak calmly and rationally to her again.

As she looked him over and her thoughts began racing, she found herself growing sad without even knowing what there was to be sad about. There was something about the way he looked when he felt defeated, something about the sound of him crying as he tried so desperately to keep her from hearing it. He rested on his shins with his palms placed on the tops of his knees and his head hung low, his chin almost touching his chest. His sandy blond bangs covered his eyes, but she could see the tears rolling down his cheek and falling into his lap. His body rocked and quivered with his uneven breaths, and the sound of his muffled whimpers… by the gods, it was like a knife in her heart.

She remembered the first time she ever saw him cry. It was after he discovered that Ilia couldn't remember anything and she recalled saying something to him afterwards that had amplified it even worse. She bit her lip as she thought of how much she wished she could erase her cruelty from his memory – and her own. She remembered it being a single, solitary tear drop, and he had wiped it away so quickly she recalled not even being completely sure of what she saw. He had an uncanny knack for hiding emotions and masking pain that was unlike anyone or anything she had ever known or even heard of. It simply _had_ to be unhealthy to keep so much hurt bottled inside.

For a moment, as she watched his body quake with each sob, she wondered if maybe his injured arm had caused him pain and made him upset. As soon as she formed that thought, though, she waved it away – never had he ever cried over physical pain, or even much less spoken or made any kind of fuss about it. No, this had to be something emotional, something very dear to him that would hit him hard like this.

The only other time she had ever seen him crumpled on the floor bawling was in the desert prison after having been shown that horrific display by the evil poe soul. They had never discussed exactly what it was the other saw, but he said something about Ilia, the kids, and everyone from his village hating him, and it had sent him over the edge. That realization told her that he had to have witnessed something relating to his loved ones to make him so upset – there was really not much else that could affect him so deeply.

When she noticed his ragged breaths start to even out a bit, she ventured to place a tiny hand on top of his and say, "You didn't see the old hero that time, did you?"

He shook his head.

"Was it the kids you saw? Or maybe Ilia? I know it was someone in your family."

He looked up only a tiny bit, gazing at her through his shaggy bangs, "How did you know?"

"You wouldn't be this upset over anything else," she then smirked, "I know you better than you might think."

He didn't chuckle at that like she thought he would; he didn't even give the slightest hint of a smile. She frowned and was just about to say something else to close the silence, but he took the initiative.

"I saw my parents."

Midna gazed down at her hand on top of his, still a bit confused, "Rusl and Uli? Or…"

"My birth parents," he said flatly.

She didn't say a thing, giving him the freedom to either elaborate or not, depending on how comfortable he was with reiterating the events.

"I watched them… _die_," he said at last.

The imp fell silent, for she knew there wasn't a word she could utter that would make it better. She knew the pain of losing a parent and could vouch for the fact that words simply did not help, only time did.

However, she also knew that lingering in silence was no good either, so she spoke up, "When did they… you know…?"

"Just before my tenth birthday," he answered solemnly.

She sighed, "I'm sorry, Link. I know words don't do much good, but, maybe this will… I kind of understand how you feel."

He picked his head up to meet the gaze of his friend, "You do?" he asked with a sniffle.

She nodded, "Yeah, but… let's not dwell on sad stuff, okay? Let's just finish up in here and get back to our own time so you don't have to see anything more that you don't want to."

He hung his head low again, only briefly, before looking back at her and giving a slight nod. He got to his feet and Midna dusted him off a bit before looking him over. She noticed him rubbing a certain spot on his sword arm with a bit of a grimace on his face.

"Is it hurting?" she questioned, realizing that that was where he had been bitten by the spider earlier.

"It stings quite a bit, but it's not that bad."

She looked at him skeptically, "You sure?"

He nodded, drying the last of the wetness from his face before picking up the mystical rod and continuing on as if nothing had happened.

He had always been fairly good at pushing aside things that bothered him, but lately he had become something of a master at it. Even though he was raised to be selfless and humble, this journey had made him doubly so. He had come to realize that, even though he was the one carrying out what had to be done, it really had nothing at all to do with him – it was all about Hyrule and its people. He couldn't let his feelings or his worries and past hardships get in the way. If he focused on what would otherwise drag him down, he would surely fail.

He understood that, and that was what drove him forward.

The trek back to the main entrance hall seemed so much longer than it had when they were travelling in the opposite direction. Perhaps it was because he had to keep the statue in tow, or perhaps it was because of the incessant nagging of his arm, or perhaps it was the turmoil of reopening the painful wounds of having his father and mother murdered. Whatever it was, the rooms seemed to drag on endlessly, even though they had already been through them all once before and Link now knew how to navigate them.

Spiders had continued to be bountiful throughout the temple. Even in the chambers where Link had already exterminated them all, they were somehow back and numerous in quantity. It was almost as if more and more were hatching from someplace inside the temple every other minute there were so many. He was extra careful with the arachnids after having been bit previously; he didn't want to have to deal with _two_ bites and whatever side effects were to come along with them.

When they finally made their way back into the grand entrance chamber, figures began to fade into a scene before his eyes once again. At first, he closed his eyes and looked away, not wanting to witness another horrifying scene of his dying mother and father. After only a short moment, however, he heard a voice that he knew did not belong to either of his parents.

"_You are pathetic,"_ the first voice said, sounding powerful and angry, _"And you are weak! What hope do you have to defeat me?"_

"_I'm not afraid of you,"_ the second voice responded, sounding courageous and fierce, _"That is my hope."_

Intrigued, Link turned to see what was unfolding before him, and to his surprise he saw the Hero of Time facing what appeared to be the king of thieves. The hero simply stood, sword at the ready, as the evil king walked back and forth, saying pointless words of futile intimidation all the while. Link could see that what he said was useless against the hero, his determination not wavering in the slightest. Not too long after, the battle commenced.

At first, Link thought that Ganondorf fought rather cowardly, hovering above the ground and spewing bolts of magic at the hero. He swung his sword, causing the balls of light to ricochet off the steel and bounce back towards the evil Gerudo. He had been too slow on one instance, the magic striking him in the middle and sending bolts of electricity through his body and forcing him to the ground. He recovered quickly, though, and got back to his feet in a flash.

Link watched in awe as the hero so effortlessly brought down the dark lord – it gave him hope for his own upcoming battle with the same menace. He then watched as he and the princess escaped the castle with much haste before it finally collapsed all the way to the ground. They rejoiced momentarily, thinking brightly of their futures now that evil was dead.

That was until they heard a loud crash sound from amidst the rubble.

The old hero approached cautiously until suddenly, Ganondorf sprung forth from the debris with eyes devoid of humanity. He flaunted his piece of the Triforce and was enveloped in a blinding white light. What happened moments later caught Link's breath in his throat.

Ganondorf changed right before his eyes into a massive, ferocious beast. It wielded two enormous blades, each one nearly double the size of the hero, and it swung them about madly.

That was the first time he saw the look of utter fear in the Hero of Time's eyes. He noticed, however, that even though shock and terror were worn on the young man's face, coupled with it were undeniable courage and an indomitable will to succeed.

Link watched as the battle ensued. The hero was quick and cunning, but the monster that was Ganon was strong and overpowering. The hero ducked under the beast's legs and smashed its tail with his hammer after having had the Master Sword hit out of his grasp. This continued for some time until the demon finally caught on. Ganon whirled around just as the hero rolled beneath him and slashed him with one of his massive blades. It cut deeply across his chest and he tumbled to one knee.

He heard the princess gasp in fear but the hero would not fall so easily. He got back up and continued to fight valiantly, as if he hadn't been struck at all. He managed to get near a dozen good swings in on the beast; it was just so big and powerful that it barely fazed the creature. When the blood loss began to take its toll on the Hero of Time and he wavered unsteadily on his feet, Ganon used his moment of weakness and struck hard against the hero's side, sending him soaring into one of the large pieces of stone left behind from what was once the castle.

Link knew from the legends that the hero was the victor in this battle, so he knew he couldn't be dead, but it looked so much like he was. He lay against the rubble unconscious, the princess screaming for him to get up while Ganon simply laughed.

And that was the last thing Link saw before it all withered away.

He looked down at the ground with a heavy sigh, trying to convince himself that the Hero of Time didn't die in that instance – he simply _had_ to have lived for Hyrule to have survived all this time. He just… had looked so _dead_.

"You saw the hero again?" Midna inquired, floating into his line of vision.

Link nodded, "I saw him battling Ganon."

"Ooh…" Midna said, intrigued, "How cool was it to see? I heard the Hero of Time was an awesome fighter. Well, I mean, duh, I guess he _had_ to be, huh?" she giggled. When she noticed he looked more grim than pleased with what he saw, she said, "What's wrong?"

Link looked up at her, shaking his head, "Nothing really. Just, it looked like he… _died_. He didn't die, though, right? The hero lived… didn't he?"

Midna placed her chin in her hands, thinking back on what she was taught about the hero, "You know… as much as we study the Hero of Time in the Twilight Realm, I don't remember ever hearing anyone mention whether he lived or died at the end. I guess everyone always just assumes that he does, you know?"

Link looked deep in thought, "Yeah, it's just… Ganon wasn't defeated yet when I saw the hero fall, though, so I know he couldn't have died at that point. Unless that's where the sages came in and finished Ganon off. Do you think…?"

"Hm… I really can't say," Midna said honestly, "Why is it bothering you so much? I'm sure he lived. You probably just saw him get knocked out or something."

The hero didn't seem convinced.

The imp flew in closer with a teasing look in her eye, "Come on, don't you realize how often you get knocked out?" she smiled, getting a slight chuckle out of him, "I'm sure that's all it was. I doubt the legendary hero would die at the end. That would just be so… _not_ legendary."

Link half-smiled, "I guess you're right."

Though he appeared reassured on the outside, on the inside he was terrified. Seeing the Hero of Time, the mystical and all-powerful hero he had heard so many stories about, take such a beating at the hands of Ganondorf instilled a fear in him like nothing else had yet to do. He knew now that he would be facing that same great malevolent force in the inevitable future, and it chilled him to the core when he pictured the hero get tossed aside like some play thing by that same beast. If the famous Hero of Time could barely survive the battle, there was surely no way on Farore's green earth that _he_ could last. He had never been a hero before, never been anything of importance, only a goat herder. He didn't stand a chance.

He was so deep in thought he hadn't realized that he nearly walked off into an endless abyss. He blinked a few times, ensuring he was really seeing what he thought he was. After rejoining the two statues together, a door had opened and led into a large room with an endless number of booby traps and deadly spikes and blades. Beneath all this, however, was a gigantic pit of _nothing_. A black void with no visible bottom awaited anyone that made an unfortunate misstep.

He took his time, stepping lightly and moving only when he was one hundred percent positive it was safe. He had learned by now that haste most certainly always made waste, and it was always in his best interest to take it slow and be as cautious as possible. The traps were cleverly designed and placed in such a strategic manner that he wondered why in Hyrule anyone would ever create such a room. What could have been so imperative to hide back in the days that this temple was lively and thriving? He ignored his curiosity and continued on, knowing that most – if not all – of these damned places the Goddesses sent him to did not make logical sense. He just took it as a way to better strengthen himself and prepare for what may lie in wait for him in the future.

After besting all of the fiendish traps and finding himself safely on the opposite side of the hall, he crossed over the threshold of a large door and into a strange room. The corridor that greeted him was nearly pitch black, save for four lights shining through gaping holes in the ceiling where sunlight crept through. In each of these rays of light stood an enormous statue, each with their giant hands held in a firm fist. Having piqued his interest, Link ventured into the room farther and approached the closest stone giant to him. As he drew nearer, however, the light he stood under suddenly went out, and he could hear the door slam shut and lock behind him. He whirled around, but saw nothing.

Suddenly, he heard scurrying from above him and where he stood was once again lit up. He looked up and beheld a sight that he was _not_ expecting – although, perhaps he should have.

A colossal arachnid clung to the ceiling, its size at least twenty times that of the hero. It remained there stationary, with the exception of the slight twitching of its eight legs, staring down at its prey.

"S-Spider… Giant… spider…" Midna whispered in his ear, having been clung to his back in sheer terror, "For Din's sake, Link, that's a giant Goddess damned spider! It-It's bigger than Hyrule Castle!" she cried.

He laughed inwardly at her exaggeration, but he showed nothing of the sort on the outside. He kept his line of vision locked on that of the overgrown arachnid but didn't move a muscle. His hopes were that it would leave them alone and continue on with whatever it was doing, but that was only a fool's hope, and he knew that. He knew this would turn into a battle; he just couldn't help but hope to avoid such things even when it was futile.

"Hurry up and kill it!" she squealed nervously as she fled into the shadows.

Before another second could pass by, the giant spider dropped down to the ground and quickly advanced on the hero. Link hastily withdrew his sword and stood his ground, watching as the insect closed in the distance between them. As it drew ever closer, its sheer size became even more apparent; Link had to look _up_ just to see more than its hairy limbs. Its single, orange and red colored eye bore into him chillingly as it approached, its eight legs scurrying with a quickness that made the hero's heart pound.

With only a few feet left between them, Link ran forward and leapt in for a clean swipe across the monster's front left leg. It met and took the spider by surprise, causing it to give out a shriek and back up a bit. It didn't hesitate though; it towered over the hero and swung one of its uninjured legs at him. He countered it quickly and without even having to think.

Fighting had become second nature to him by now, and he relied heavily on his instincts to get him through most every battle - his muscles had memorized the motions and his mind had memorized the strategies.

The arthropod lunged at him again, but he raised his shield and blocked its attack. He grimaced a bit at the strain on his still unhealed arm, but it was a manageable pain. Link ran around the beast, attempting to get it from behind, but he wasn't quick enough. The arachnid dove in for a bite, taking the hero completely by surprise. He fell to the ground onto his back in an attempt to dodge the fiend's fangs. The spider, however, used the hero's hindrance of being on the floor to its advantage.

It pinned him down with its two forelegs and went in for the kill, its chelicerae dripping with venom and its pedipalps moving in to grasp the hero. He squirmed and twisted beneath the fiend's hairy legs, trying desperately to get his sword arm free. He kicked the creature hard in its underbelly, but it did not budge. He managed to wriggle his shield arm loose and he bashed his guard against the spider's face harshly. It let up a bit, but only for a second.

With the arachnid's pincers only inches from the hero's face, he forced his sword arm free and sliced punitively at one of its legs. The spider recoiled with an ear piercing screech; Link had cut one of its legs clean off.

A vile goo spewed from the monster's severed limb and it dropped onto its stomach as it writhed in pain. The respite was brief, however, and it soon charged for him again. It whipped its leg against the hero's chest and almost knocked him down, but he had managed to keep his balance long enough to get another swing in. Having come much too close to having a second leg hacked off, the spider retreated up the wall and onto the ceiling. Link thought himself the victor for a moment, thinking that his opponent had surrendered – he was wrong.

From its perch on the ceiling, it spit out dozens of unhatched eggs, from all of which sprang forth far too many baby arthropods to count. Link didn't waste any time, he began hacking away at the insects as quickly and efficiently as he could, expecting that his true adversary would likely attempt to strike when he was busy dealing with the lesser foes.

He looked up in between slashes and saw the mother arachnid's eye glowing a disturbing color of crimson, and in a flash, a beam of fire soared in his direction. He ducked into a sprint and ran as fast as his legs could take him, swerving and weaving so as to make it nearly impossible for the spider to follow his movements. He could feel the heat at his back, encouraging him to run that much faster. When the trail of fire stopped abruptly, he expected it was only because the spider needed a moment to recharge, and that it would surely continue its attack again momentarily. Link knew he had no time to waste now. He exterminated the last of the smaller spiders and just as he was reaching for his bow, he saw something that distracted him.

Standing right in front of him was a boy clad in green with naught but a tiny dagger, a wooden shield, and a measly slingshot. The boy pulled back the band on the paltry weapon with a small nut placed on the string and released it. It pelted the spider on the ceiling and it tumbled to the ground just before the image faded. When he looked back up, however, the arachnid was still on the ceiling. Had he just seen a vision of a similar foe the young Hero of Time vanquished? Perhaps… was this the same enemy?

He couldn't think on it right now. Pushing the thoughts aside, he quickly readied his bow, pulled back the string and took an extra minute to make sure his aiming was precise. When the spider's eye just started glowing evilly again, he released the bowstring and the arrow met the monster's massive pupil dead center. It flailed and shrieked for a moment before tumbling to the ground on its back in obvious pain.

Link ran for the beast with his sword at the ready. As he slashed away at the arachnid, he could see it bleeding and taking obvious damage, but it seemed as if it was hardly fazing it. Feeling out of luck and trying to think on his feet, he looked to the enormous statue that stood only a few paces away from his adversary.

Praying to the Goddesses that this would work, he whisked out the mysterious rod he had acquired and hurriedly flicked its light into the gigantic stone figure. Its arms twitched and it lit up, signifying that it was awaiting its master's command. When Link thrust down the rod with the biggest emphasis he could muster, the statue mirrored him exactly. Its stone fist crushed the oversized bug underneath it, and the hero quickly retook the light, forcing the heavy hand to remain on top of the spider, giving it no possible way to escape and survive.

The hero sighed in relief when his enemy stopped squirming, showing that it was finally defeated. He put away the magical rod and took a moment to rub the sore spot on his arm again.

"I hope I never see another spider again," Midna said, coming into the light.

Link smiled crookedly, but said not a word.

The imp opened her mouth to continue, but stopped herself when she saw something that stole her breath.

Link noticed her gaping expression, asking, "What?" before turning around and following her line of sight.

He saw the Hero of Time.

There was something different this time, though. He seemed more real, more life-like, more… _there_. He wanted to turn back and ask Midna how it was she could see him now, but he was mesmerized. The hero was walking directly towards them, and it felt like he was actually maintaining eye contact.

"Hero," the apparition said, only an arm's length away from Link, "You've done well to make it this far."

Link wanted to say something so desperately, but he couldn't find his voice.

"The Goddesses didn't want me to present myself to you just yet, but… I wanted to tell you that even though you might feel as if all is futile at times, it isn't. You cannot give up."

"I-I…" Link stuttered, "I don't understand…"

The Hero of Time smiled, "There is much you still don't understand. You will, though, at the end of it all."

Just as Link was about to try and say something else, the hero stopped him.

"I also came to assure you that your parents are at peace."

Link's jaw fell agape, "M-My… parents?"

The hero nodded, "They are with me in the Sacred Realm. I think they have something to tell you, if you'd like, that is."

"Y-Yes… Yes!" the young man stammered excitedly, but at the same time, confusedly.

At that, the Hero of Time stood aside and his father and mother faded into view like a beautiful, cloudy mist. Link could hardly speak; was he really seeing this?

"Son, we are so very proud of you," his father said with a smile, "We've watched you from the heavens all these years, and we've always been with you."

Link's eyes began watering uncontrollably – he wanted so dreadfully to tell them to come back with him, or to ask them if he could go with them, but he knew realistically that neither were possible. They both looked so happy, so… _peaceful_.

"When you feel alone, please just remember that we are always walking beside you," his mother said with a warm smile.

"We love you, son, with all our hearts, but it is time that you let us go," his father spoke up.

Link shook his head, and the words formed themselves before he even realized, "No… I can't…"

"You must," he continued, "You cannot let our memory weigh you down as you accomplish the task set before you."

Link closed his eyes, knowing in his heart that they were right. "I miss you," he said at last.

"You don't have to miss us," his father replied with a smile, "We live on through you."

The family stood in silence, simply relishing this precious moment in which they all got to be reunited again. His mother then stepped forward and kissed him on the cheek, followed behind by his father who, at first, clapped him on the shoulder before pulling him in for a tight embrace.

Link couldn't physically feel their bodies against his, his mother's lips on his face, or his father's arms around him, but he could feel their essence. He felt their spirits around him and the warmth of their love. A tear fell down his cheek that he didn't care to wipe away. He closed his eyes as he pulled back from the hug and just focused on the swirling mists of his parents' spirits around him. When he opened his eyes again, they were gone.

The Hero of Time stood before him, a solemn yet optimistic look on his wise features, "I'm glad the Goddesses allowed you to see your parents one final time, but I must apologize for the visions of the past you have witnessed in these halls."

Link shut his eyes briefly, trying to concentrate on what the hero was saying as his mind couldn't wrap itself around the fact that he had just seen his parents again, "Why have I been seeing so many images of you? And… why was I shown that image of my parents' deaths?"

The hero frowned, "I suppose the imprints of myself are just stains of time, unable to be washed away even after all these years. You and I have a connection to one another as well, you know, giving more cause as to your seeing me. As for your parents," he sighed, "That, I take it, was evil at work in this hallowed place."

Link nodded, trying to grasp everything the hero had said. When a nagging question presented itself in the forefront of his mind, he decided to ask, "In one of the visions I saw of you, it looked like you… died. Is your death really what I saw?"

"I cannot say," the hero answered bluntly, "I have already said too much. We will meet again in the future, hero. Until then, do not give up."

"Wait!" Link called as the Hero of Time slowly started backing away and fading into nothing, "Please, wait! I have so many-" and by then, he was completely gone, "-questions…"

Link sighed, completely disheartened by the fact that he had just met face to face with the legendary hero, and yet, he hadn't been able to say or ask even a single thing.

He hung his head, thinking back on the brief reunion with his parents. He smiled as he thought of their memory. At last, he thought, he had that horrible image of his father's corpse out of his mind. It had been the last way in which he had seen his father and it had been the only way he could remember him all this time. Finally… finally he could remember him how he was when he was growing up… _happy_. They were at peace, and now so was he.

* * *

_**There comes a time when the past must be let go in order to progress in the future.**_


	44. Courage

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 4/14/14 – Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 44: Courage

**.:.**

The mirror shard had presented itself not long after the encounter with Link's parents and the Hero of Time – or perhaps it had been there all along, only the hero had been too distracted to notice its presence.

Midna had brought them both back to the entrance of the temple, right beside the Master Sword's pedestal, but Link hadn't even noticed the relocation. His mind was in a haze, completely and utterly bogged down by what he had just witnessed.

He saw his parents… his _parents_! After all these years of them being gone, seeing them made it feel as if they had never left his side. It felt bittersweet; on one hand it felt a bit like tearing open already closed wounds, but on the other hand it gave the hero much needed closure and peace of mind. He even spoke with the Hero of Time. He didn't just see his ghostly imprints like before, he actually _spoke_ with him. As his mind ran over what he had just beheld again and again, a recurring question kept surfacing with each rewind.

"Did that really just happen?" he whispered to no one in particular.

Whether it was to himself or to his partner, she took the initiative of responding, "I think it did. Either that, or we both just had the same dream."

"You saw it, too?" he asked, not only because of her understanding reply, but also because he remembered her shocked expression upon seeing the ancient hero.

"Yeah."

"All of it? Even my parents?" he questioned, an eagerness in his voice to know if reuniting with his mother and father had truly happened.

She nodded, "Even your parents."

He smiled, locking his gaze on that of the marble floor beneath his boots. She could tell he was happy to know it was all real.

"Your mother was beautiful," she added, giving him a smile of her own as he glanced up at her.

He nodded in agreement, but said not a word. A few moments of silence passed before he said, "How is it you were able to see them?"

She shrugged, "My guess is because they were actually there. The other times before that when you were seeing the old hero it was just visions, or '_stains_' as he called them, so they weren't physically _there_. Your parents and the hero when he was talking to you were really there, so I think that's why I could see them."

Link nodded once slowly, trying to come to terms with everything, "I can't believe I actually saw them."

"Your parents or the hero?"

"Both," he replied without a second of thought, "I've looked up to the Hero of Time and aspired to be like him practically my whole life, and I've heard so many stories about him – he's just a legend, and it's insane to realize that I spoke with him. It's also disappointing, though, because that was my one chance and I just have so many questions and so much I would have liked to have said. And seeing my parents…" Link sighed, but soon continued, "I never, even in my wildest dreams, imagined that I would ever get to see them again. I think seeing them gave me the push I need to finish what I've started. I can at last say that I'm… content."

Midna smiled, taking a moment to register the profound words that her companion had just said. It touched her heart to hear him so sincerely at peace; she knew that his mother and father's deaths had plagued him ceaselessly and she was happy to know that the pain of their passing had been washed away at long last.

She soon after whisked the emotions away, desperately trying to avoid her own inner conflicts and said, "Well, there's only one mirror piece left to get. Ready to go?"

He nodded, "Yeah," and he quickly made his way towards the exit.

As he was ascending the final staircase leading him back to his own era, he turned around and took one last, long look at the Temple of Time. It looked lonely, desolate, and abandoned, but it still had an inescapable beauty about it. Not only was the beauty held in the design and the architecture, but it was in the history that lay within its walls – so much had happened in this place and Link had been told countless stories about it from his mother when he was just a boy; the fact that he got to see it with his own two eyes… there simply weren't words.

He sighed, "I'm glad I got to see it in all of its glory."

Midna turned and looked back at the empty hall, the sunlight glistening off the stone floors.

"We actually time travelled," he scoffed, "We've done it all together, haven't we?"

The imp smiled, "Mm… I think there's still some more left to do."

Link nodded, his brow furrowing deeply as he thought of all that they had yet to complete – there was still so much to accomplish, and yet it felt like they had done so much already.

"Just wait 'til you see my realm," she added.

The hero glanced up at her, his worry melting away into a playful smirk as he teased, "Somehow that doesn't sound very promising."

Midna's grin slowly drooped and a heavy sigh escaped her lips, "Yeah, I… I don't really know how it will look when we finally go through the mirror. I'm afraid of what Zant might have done…"

"Well, let's hurry up and get that final mirror shard then, and put him in his place," Link said with a fierce determination in his voice.

The imp's smile returned and she nodded, "Let's."

Travelling forwards in time had proved to be just as nauseating as going backwards. He stumbled through the doorway and nearly collapsed onto the soft grass beneath his feet. His world was instantaneously turning and he shut his eyes to escape the spinning of his blurred vision. He reached a hand up and grasped his pounding head, rubbing his temples as he awaited the ease of his dizziness and counted the seconds until he felt relief.

The nausea soon came and went, and his head was quickly in the right place again. When he reopened his eyes and lowered his hand, he realized that something didn't feel right. The adrenaline in his body from exploring the temple was slowly draining and he was beginning to feel slightly ill. His right arm was aching horrendously from its excessive use without being allowed to properly mend from its previous break. There was also an incessant stinging on his left arm where that pesky spider had sunk its fangs into his flesh. He rubbed that spot, trying to ease the discomfort away.

Midna took notice of the grimace on his face and said, "Are you feeling okay?"

He nodded, "Yeah," and quickly changed the subject, "Could we teleport out of here? I don't think I'd ever be able to find my way through this forest again."

Midna gave him a look for avoiding her question, but she proceeded nonetheless, "Alright, get ready!"

The pain of transforming had almost become nonexistent to the hero by now. He had grown so accustomed to the twisting and contorting of his limbs and muscles that it practically felt _natural_, as sick as it sounded. What had once been excruciating and torturous had become routine, and it didn't faze the young man in the slightest.

The spring in Faron Woods had been a welcome sight. He sighed in relief when he took it in with his Hylian eyes, and he was even happier to note that it was midday, meaning he could visit with the villagers now as opposed to waiting through the night to let them know that he had made it through the forest just fine.

He made his way to Ordon with haste, eager not only to see his baby sister again, but also to tell Rusl about the incredible things he had just witnessed. The village was bustling and it seemed most everyone was outside enjoying the fresh air. There was still a bit of a chill in the atmosphere as winter clung to existence, but Link could feel a slightly warmer breeze rush by as it ruffled his hair – it was almost spring; it was almost a year since he began his journey.

It didn't take long for Link to spot Rusl and Uli sitting beside the small creek that trickled through the village's center. As he got closer, he noticed that Uli was cradling baby Calie in her arms and singing to her softly. The hero approached quietly so as to not disturb the mother and child, and luckily, Rusl had noticed him coming and stepped away.

"Link, my boy!" his father greeted as he closed the distance, "How was the forest? Find anything of interest?"

"I did, actually. I'd love to tell you about i-," Link began enthusiastically but was cut off by Rusl's suddenly angry tone.

"Why in Hyrule is your arm not in its sling?" he demanded.

"Uh," the hero stammered, "Well, I was kind of in a bind and needed both arms."

Rusl didn't say a word; he simply waited and allowed for his son to fill in the silence.

"My sword arm alone wasn't strong enough to overcome the force this armored creature was bearing down on me. I just instinctively raised up my other arm without even thinking."

"Yes, clearly there was no thinking involved. Do you have any idea how badly you could have damaged your arm by using it before allowing it to fully heal?"

Link's gaze fell to his boots; he felt like a child being reprimanded.

Rusl sighed, "It is not my place to chastise you. You had to do what you had to do, I suppose. And I am no healer; we will just have to see what Renado says when next you see him. I doubt he will be pleased."

"I'm sorry," Link offered at last.

"It's not me you should apologize to, but yourself. Is it not causing you pain?"

Link looked down at his arm as if the answer was written on it, "It aches a bit and it's awfully sore, but it isn't that bad."

"Mm," the older man mumbled, "If you say so. Should we head to Kakariko, then? I intend to travel to Castle Town as I must return to my fellow Resistance members, but I would gladly help you to the shaman on the way."

The hero quickly shook his head, "No, really, I'm alright. I will, though, accompany you to Telma's. Shad should have some information for me as to where I am to go next."

"Alright," Rusl gave in reluctantly, "But I want you to promise me that you will let the shaman look you over before you return to your hero business."

"I promise. I couldn't go that long without seeing the kids anyway."

Rusl smiled, "Let us be off then. You can tell me all about the interesting things you saw on the way."

"Um…" Link murmured, scratching the back of his neck as he did so.

"What is it?" the Ordonian asked confusedly.

"I'm starving."

Rusl couldn't help but chuckle as he said, "Why didn't you say so!" and he clapped the young man on the back, leading him to his home where the meal Uli had prepared for lunch still sat warm and waiting in the kitchen.

Link didn't realize just how much he had missed his mother's cooking. Piping hot pumpkin soup awaited him in his old home and he instantly dug in. Rusl spoke of a few things while his son staved his hunger, but nothing of extreme importance. He mentioned that Link had been gone for only a few days, and he spoke of the village and of the newest addition to the family. The hero was rather surprised to hear that he was only gone a matter of days – that must have been the quickest task he had accomplished yet, he thought with an inward scoff.

As soon as Link had finished off two servings of the delicious meal, they set out. Rusl had asked the young man if he wanted to stay and rest for the night, but he refused, eager to continue on.

The trek was mostly uneventful and littered with trivial conversation. The only topic of interest being that Link told his father all about the Sacred Grove and the Temple of Time, but he decided against telling him about seeing his parents and the Hero of Time – it was just too much to comprehend; he was still trying to wrap his mind around it himself.

To their delightful surprise, there were very few monsters on the field during their trip. The ones that did try to attack them were senseless, lone Bokoblins and various other measly creatures that were easily dispatched of without even dismounting their steeds. Rusl did notice, however, that Link was persistently rubbing at a peculiar spot on his sword arm. Knowing that it was the opposite arm that had been broken previously, he was at a loss as to what was causing his discomfort. The hero did not complain one bit, though, and he didn't appear to be in much pain, so Rusl shrugged it off.

They arrived at Hyrule Castle Town that night and they both dropped their horses off in the stables. Even though Link almost always left Epona free to roam, he thought that he should take his best friend's advice and treat her more like the girl that she is. He smiled as he thought of Ilia while guaranteeing that his beloved mare was well taken care of.

He knew as long as she was in the stables that she would always have food and water, and most of all that she was safe. The peace of mind made him think that maybe he should do so more often. He quickly rethought it, though, knowing that his steed was one that loved open fields and the ability to run freely – his responsibility as her owner was to find a perfect middle ground. He gave his lifelong companion a pat on the snout before following Rusl through the town.

Nighttime proved to be barely any less busy and lively than the daytime in Castle Town. People were still running about doing Din knows what, and the streets were still cluttered with townsfolk. Link and Rusl made their way through the crowds and finally into the warm, welcoming air of Telma's Bar.

"Well, I'll be! If it isn't Link and Rusl!" the proprietress greeted with a wide grin, "What a sight for sore eyes it is to see your two handsome faces!"

Link blushed and Rusl replied, "It's good to be back. I hope you all didn't forget about me," he said with a smirk as he approached the table.

"Quite the opposite, actually!" Shad stated matter-of-factly.

"Link told us that your wife finally had the baby!" Auru said enthusiastically.

Rusl smiled and took a seat, Link following suit silently, "Yes, yes she did."

"How does it feel to be a father all over again?" Auru questioned.

He took a moment, his smile never faltering as he thought of his beautiful daughter, "It feels amazing. A girl is an entirely different experience."

"What's her name?" Ashei asked.

"Calie."

Telma smiled, "I'm sure she's just as precious as can be. Let me go get your drinks, honey. The usual, I take it?"

Link nodded and Rusl replied positively.

"Let us not waste any time," Rusl broke the short silence, "What has happened in my absence?"

The three Resistance members glanced between one another in turn.

"Nothing, really," Ashei answered bluntly.

"Nothing at all?"

"No. We've been pretty much stuck, yeah? I'm worried we've done all we can," the young girl said.

Rusl shook his head, "That can't be the case. There are always things to be done, always people that need help. Right, Link?"

Link snapped from his stupor upon mention of his name – he had been uncharacteristically zoned out, "Wha – Oh, yeah. Right."

Rusl looked at his son strangely, but Shad continuing the conversation stopped him from saying anything.

"Well, unlike Ashei who seems to find her talents a bit…" he cleared his throat, "_lacking_… I have spent these past few days researching the heavens in order to better aid our dear Link."

"Shad…" Ashei began, clenching her fists atop the table, "I swear to Farore I could punch you so hard your head would spin all the way around."

The scholar simply laughed, "How absurd! You _do_ know that that is literally and physically impossible, don't you? Oh, Ashei, your simple-mindedness never ceases to amuse me."

The girl suddenly stood from her seat and was just about to put her words into action, but Auru placed a calming hand on her forearm and she eased back down into her chair mumbling, "You got lucky this time."

"Here you go, sweet pea," Telma said as she set down Rusl's typical whiskey and Link's glass of milk and then took her leave.

Rusl nodded in thanks, but Link hardly even took notice. It was as if his mind was in another place entirely. The Ordonian noticed that he was acting strange and being exceptionally quiet, but he chalked it up to the boy going without sleep for some number of days – he was most likely just exhausted and didn't care to be involved in the conversation at the moment.

"Why don't you tell us all about your amazing discovery then, yeah?" Ashei said bitterly, staring daggers at Shad.

"Don't mind if I do! You see, I was in the library the other day, spilling over book after book about the sky beings known as the Oocca. Legend says that these beings actually created the Hylians! When they created the people of Hylia, they simultaneously created a new capital – a city that floated in the heavens. They dwelt there… and some scholars believe that this race lives there still, somewhere in the great sky. Isn't that simply marvelous?" he explained devotedly.

Ashei scoffed, "I highly doubt there are people living in the clouds, Shad. That just sounds ridiculous, yeah?"

"You can never be sure," Auru said in defense of the younger man, "Most of Hyrule's legends have been proven to be true."

Ashei simply rolled her eyes and sipped mutely on her ale.

Shad turned to Link, "What do you think about all of this, old chap?"

When he felt that all eyes were on him, he looked up to realize his hunch had been right. He hadn't been paying attention, though, and so he said, "W-What?"

Everyone looked at him perplexedly, for they all knew him well enough by now to know that it wasn't like him to not listen.

"I do say, old boy, you look rather pale. Are you perhaps coming down with something?" Shad asked inquisitively.

Link shook his head, "No, I'm fine. I just… didn't hear you."

"I was simply asking your opinion on the sky beings and the city in the clouds. Do you think this could be what the sages were referring to? Could this city in the heavens be where you are supposed to venture next?"

He could hear them talking, he could make out their every word and who it was that said it, but he couldn't focus on it. There was something wrong, he just didn't know what. He just felt… terrible.

"Don't be stupid, Shad. Obviously he's not supposed to go into the clouds. I mean, how do they expect him to get there? Fly?"

He felt exceedingly cold, and yet, he could feel beads of sweat running down his skin. His breath was beginning to shorten, making it difficult to fill his lungs to their full capacity.

"I do say, your doubting in my research is quite rude of you. Link told us that the sages specifically said '_the heavens_.' If that does not translate to the literal heavens, or the clouds, then what do you suppose they meant, hm?"

His muscles had begun to feel tense, as if he was contracting them of his own accord even though he wasn't. His joints were beginning to feel stiff and a soreness was now plaguing him head to toe.

"They probably didn't mean the actual '_heavens_.' They probably meant something that's like heaven… like a paradise or something, yeah?"

A deep, digging sort of pain had rooted itself in his stomach, and he suddenly felt nauseous. The intensity in which he felt like he was about to vomit made his sickness when he travelled back and forth through time seem like nothing. This level of severity reminded him bitterly of when he had been stung by the jellyfish, only worse.

"How foolish that would be. I doubt there is even such a place of pure utopia in Hyrule during these times."

He looked down at his arm as the stinging intensified. He pulled back the bandages Midna had applied previously along with the slightly torn section of his off-white undershirt to examine his skin. The area immediately surrounding the bite was purplish in color, followed by a white ring, which was all enclosed in a beet-red colored ring. The center and the location of the bite itself was almost entirely black.

"Well, I don't know, Shad, okay? For Din's sake, you always have to be right."

He could feel the bile trying so desperately to escape in his throat. He did his best to keep it down, swallowing the revolting liquid whenever it would surface even slightly.

"Besides, paradise is a completely subjective term. It is different to everyone and everyone has their own opinion on what paradise is to them. After all, the sages were spot on with the other locations mentioned, were they not? I believe he said they told him he was to go to a mountain, a grove, and somewhere in the heavens. It would be simply preposterous for their last and final clue to be a riddle when the previous two were exactly what they meant. I mean, would it-"

Ashei cut him off, being the first to notice the suddenly worsened state the hero was in as she sat directly across from him, "Shut up, Shad."

"By the Goddesses, Ashei, you are being even more unbearable to stand than usual today. I don't interrupt you when you are spea-"

"Shad, seriously! Shut up! I think Link is gonna be sick!"

Everyone turned to look at him in a flash. Rusl noticed right away that what had only appeared to be exhaustion earlier now looked like a serious illness. His face was pale and it was obvious he was trying so urgently to keep from throwing up. Rusl leapt from his seat and grabbed a nearby waste basket. He rushed back and placed it in front of where the hero sat, directly in between his knees.

Link could hold it in no longer. He doubled over and grasped the sides of the bin as he emptied the contents of his stomach into it. He retched until there was nothing left, and once he reached that point, he rested his elbows on the tops of his knees and his cheeks against the palms of his hands.

Telma came over as soon as she heard the heaving, preparing herself to clean up a repulsive mess as it was routine for her patrons to get sick quite often. She was surprised when she realized it was coming from the table where her friends sat, and she was even more shocked when she discovered that it was Link who was gagging.

"What in Din's name is wrong with him?" Ashei asked, taking on a surprisingly concerned tone.

No one said a thing, because no one knew the answer. Rusl placed a hand on his son's shoulder and said softly, "You should have told me you were feeling ill."

Link remained quiet.

"Perhaps the old boy caught some sort of a bug while he was in the forest? Or perhaps it is a case of the flu?" Shad suggested.

"Link?" Rusl called gently, "Do you know what's wrong?"

The hero mumbled, "Think… spider…"

"What?" his father asked, knowing that if he couldn't make out the answer from right beside him no one else could have heard him either.

Instead of attempting to answer again, Link simply stuck out his left arm, palm up, hoping that at least Rusl would catch on. The older man was confused at first; his initial reaction was that the Hylian was pointing at something across the room. When he realized he wasn't, he grabbed the hero's arm and examined it more closely. He instantly took notice of the large discoloration on the young man's arm and he became terribly worried without even knowing exactly what it was.

"What is this?" Rusl asked, but Link did not give a reply.

Shad took the initiative, "That appears to be a spider bite."

Rusl turned to the young man with glasses, "Is it poisonous?"

Shad frowned, "I would have to say yes, witnessing how his body is reacting."

"Let's get him upstairs," Auru said, quickly standing from his seat and glancing at Telma for the go ahead.

Telma nodded before turning to the rest of the bar's guests and shouting, "Bar's closed! Everyone out!"

Loud moaning and complaining could be heard above all else, and while a few stubborn customers tried to argue with the bar maiden, she instantly put them in their place. Once they were all out, she slammed the door shut and locked it tight.

Link tried standing on his own, insisting when the two older men tried to help him up that he didn't need it. He came to realize, however, that he was wrong. His muscles felt like jelly and he felt extremely weak. Rusl wrapped the boy's left arm over his shoulders and Auru did the same with his right, and they made their way to the second floor with Ashei, Shad, and Telma following at their heels.

The three men entered the room that Rusl occupied when he stayed with the Resistance members and they set Link down on the bed where he took it upon himself to lay down and try to get comfortable.

Shad approached his left side in order to get a better look at the bite, "Mm," he mumbled in thought.

"What?" Rusl asked nervously.

"Judging by the abnormally large size of the incision marks where the chelicerae of the spider injected its venom, it was no average sized insect."

"How big?" Ashei questioned, standing near the doorway.

"Hm," he paused to think, relating the size of the fangs to make an accurate guess of the size of the spider, "My estimation is that the arachnid was approximately the size of one's head."

"For Din's sake, Link," Rusl sighed.

"Does that affect the amount of poison? Or the severity of it?" Auru asked.

Shad rested his chin in his hand, "I would assume so, yes. But I am no expert on spiders, I'm afraid."

Ashei watched the form of the hero lying on the bed, seemingly calm on the outside. His eyes were closed and he was sweating profusely, but he didn't appear as if he had an exceptional amount of venom coursing through his veins. He simply lay there, dealing with whatever pain and discomfort plagued him. He didn't whine or complain, he didn't utter a sound – he didn't want anyone to worry any more than they already were.

Ashei admired that.

"There's gotta be something here that can at least help ease his pain, yeah?" the young girl offered.

Telma took that as her cue, heading out the door and into another room down the hall that was unclear to the rest of the group. She returned only seconds later with a bottle filled with a red liquid in her hands.

"Sit up, honey," she said as she placed a hand behind the hero's shoulder and helped him to sit up a bit, "This should make you feel a little better."

The older woman placed the glass container to Link's lips and he drank without protest, open and welcome to whatever remedies she could have given him.

"That's all I've got," Telma stated as she eased the young man back down and tucked the empty bottle away.

"Shad, do you know what we could use to stop the poison?" Rusl asked.

"Me? Oh, no, no, no," he shook his head, "I am no doctor, I am a scholar. I read and I study, but I do not practice. I will be of no help in this matter, I'm afraid."

"Then we need to get him to Renado in Kakariko. He'll know what to do," the Ordonian proclaimed. He knew not only that the resident doctor of Castle Town was not in service at this hour, but he also knew that Doctor Borville was a pathetic excuse for a doctor; the only way Rusl would have entrusted Link to his care was if he was the last healer on Farore's green earth.

"Link isn't fit to ride, though, Rusl," Auru said.

Rusl sighed, running his hands down his face, "You're right… I suppose I could sit Link up on Epona and I could steer her from behind him. I just hate to leave my horse here in the stables."

Shad cleared his throat, "Well, actually, I was meaning to accompany the lad to Kakariko Village as it were. I read in one of the books at the library that there are clues to the heavens hidden somewhere in the village. I could… ride your steed alongside you. That is, if you don't mind."

Rusl seemed a bit shocked, "I didn't know you've ever ridden horseback before, Shad."

"To be frank," he laughed nervously, "It has been quite a many years since I last rode a horse, but I have, in fact, done it before."

"Will you be able to keep up? Epona is a fast horse," Rusl stated a bit warily.

Shad nodded, eager to accept the challenge, "I will do my best."

"It's likely that there will be monsters on the field as well. Are you willing to fight?" Rusl asked.

Shad seemed a bit apprehensive at that question; he had never been involved in an actual battle before.

Ashei chimed in, "Yeah, Shad. Are you willing to fight?"

He glanced between the both of them, but responded quickly so as to not seem like a coward, "Why, of course I am willing to fight! I am no warrior and I am certainly not trained or skilled like yourself or Link, but I will try my very hardest."

"Then we must hurry," Rusl declared as he slid his arms beneath his son and lifted him up, "If we leave now and travel through the night at top speed, we should arrive by midday tomorrow."

"Um, one thing," Shad perked up awkwardly, "You said '_travel through the night_,' and well, you see, I need at least eight hours of sleep a night in order to be at my best the following day."

The rest of the group did not stop descending the stairs to listen to the young man's silly words. Rusl simply called back, "If you can't keep up, do not come."

Once they were at the bottom of the staircase, Rusl turned toward the scholar and said, "This is my son's life we're talking about here. If you can help, that would be greatly appreciated. If you intend to slow us down, you can stay here. Understood?"

Shad swallowed hard, "Understood. I will not slow you down."

Rusl nodded and said, "Good," before whirling back around and heading for the door.

"Get that boy there pronto, honey," Telma demanded, barring the exit, "If something were to happen to him I don't even want to think about where we'd all be. He's got to be the kindest person I've ever met," she then turned to Shad and thrust a finger in his face, "You better do your best out there, you hear me? If I hear that you slowed them down and got that sweet boy killed… it won't just be Ashei that wants to pummel you, got it?"

Shad took a protective step back with a bit of a cocky grin, "I intend to make the Resistance proud. I cannot wait to return and prove you all wrong about the sky beings. I just know they're up there…"

Ashei stepped into his line of sight, gaining his full attention, "Just don't be stupid, okay? Please, just, shut up every once in a while and _listen_… yeah?"

Shad was completely taken aback. She seemed so… _concerned_… not only for Link, but he could have sworn there was a hint of worry for even him in her chocolate eyes.

He nodded once slowly, still slightly in shock, "Y-Yeah…"

"Alright, enough of that, we need to leave _now_," Rusl interjected, hastening through the door that Telma was holding open for them.

Shad turned and waved, shouting his goodbyes to everyone as Rusl picked up the pace. The scholar struggled to keep up as the Ordonian weaved in and out of the dark crowds as if he had lived his whole life in the city. They practically ran to the stables, where Rusl and Link had been only an hour or two ago when they arrived.

Everyone knew Epona was a smart horse, but she was probably more intelligent than anyone actually realized. Noticing that her master was being carried, she knelt down onto her knees, making it infinitely easier for Rusl to place Link in the saddle. The hero was still somewhat conscious, he was just terribly weak, but he did his best to stay put as Rusl got situated behind him on Epona's back. Shad had a bit of difficulty getting into the saddle, but he managed, and the two steeds were off in a flash.

At first, Rusl and Link were ahead of the young academic by an incredible number of yards – Shad was trying desperately to get comfortable and to remember what he was taught when he was young about how to tell the horse what you wanted it to do. He kicked its sides just ever so slightly, and the stallion picked up the pace almost times ten. Shad held onto the saddle horn for dear life as the heightened speed nearly sent him soaring off of the horse's back.

When he finally caught up to them, he wanted to take the time to speak with Rusl, being the talkative type that he was, but he realized that he couldn't due to their high speeds and the rushing wind passed their ears. Just when he was about to open his mouth to try and say something despite all that, he heard Ashei's words in his head:

'_Please, just, shut up every once in a while and listen… yeah?'_

As those words entered his mind, he got a feeling that he could not describe. He went silent, bringing his mount to a halt and taking a moment to do what he was instructed to do – _listen_.

What he heard in that instance made his heartbeat quicken. He looked in every direction, frantically searching for the source of the sound. It sounded like… screeching? The young scholar went over the books he had read and couldn't come up with an animal or creature that made such a noise.

Just then, a small band of Bokoblins came into view at his side, seemingly charging for Rusl and Link, but they were just out of the older man's line of sight. Shad kicked his horse's ribs a bit more violently than intended as he shouted, "Rusl!"

The Ordonian couldn't hear him, so Shad dug his heels into the stallion's sides harder and harder until he was a dozen or so feet behind the charging Epona.

Rusl had been right – Epona was an insanely fast horse.

Realizing, however, that his mount couldn't match the pace of Link's in time, and noticing that the crazed enemies were about to flank them, he tried one more time, "Rusl!"

He screamed so loud his throat hurt, but Rusl had been able to hear it. He turned around to glance at Shad, but he still couldn't see the Bokoblins at his side.

Just as the leader of the mindless creatures was preparing to leap up onto Epona and tackle them to the ground, Shad could just barely make out the hero withdrawing the Master Sword and sticking it straight out, causing the idiotic monster to impale itself upon his blade.

The movement from the person in front of him caused Rusl to whirl back around, and when he turned to see what Link was flicking off of his sword, he saw at least a dozen or more Bokoblins charging them. Rusl quickly brought Epona to a stop and dismounted, drawing his blade as he did so.

He turned back to Link and demanded, "Stay put! I don't want you fighting!"

The hero nodded slightly as he rested against Epona's neck, clutching onto her mane to keep him in place as he sheathed his sword.

Shad had caught up by now, but he wasn't sure exactly what he should do. He watched as Rusl began dispatching of the senseless mob with apparent ease, and he noticed Link lying motionless atop his mare. He simply sat, feeling useless, and waited for the battle to come to an end.

He began to notice, however, that even though these creatures were stupid beyond all reason, one of them had managed to sneak past Rusl and was creeping towards the hero. Shad could see that Link's eyes were closed, but he was sure that he would hear – or _sense_; whatever heroes do – the enemy approaching. It got closer and closer until it picked up into a run, and Link was not budging.

Suddenly, the monster jumped up and plowed into the hero, forcing him to the ground. Shad gasped; he felt at a loss. Should he help? No… this was _Link_, he could handle a single monster on his own even if he was sick; interfering would be insulting.

Link reached up and punched the Bokoblin in the skull so hard Shad could have sworn he heard its neck crack. But just as the hero was trying to get back to his feet, another one bounded out of nowhere and tackled him down. Link rendered it unconscious in the same fashion as the previous one, but when a third one presented itself, the Hylian's withering energy and strength were spent. The adrenaline of battle had been the only thing giving him a fighting chance, but it simply wasn't enough, his body was just too weakened from the poison.

Shad watched for a moment until he realized that this time it was taking him much too long to fight back. He saw the troll raise up its arm, cleaver in hand, and he watched in fright as Link tried to muster the strength to fend off the weak little creature, but it was slowly overpowering him.

Realizing that Link could no longer defend himself, Shad leapt from the saddle and ran full speed towards the downed hero. As Shad was hurrying to help, Rusl turned after finishing off the last of the filthy demons and noticed that Link was pinned to the ground.

"Link!" Rusl yelled, breaking out into a run just the same.

Shad had been closer, and made it just as the fiend was about to bring the metal weapon down upon the young Hylian's neck. He pulled out a small dagger that he had in the pack on his waist, and with a loud battle cry, he stabbed it into the Bokoblin's back. With a gurgle and a clank of its weapon falling from its hand, it tumbled to the ground lifeless.

Shad simply stood motionless for a moment, staring down at the bloody knife in his hand. It was something he always had on him at all times, but he never thought he would actually use it. It had been a gift from Ashei when he first joined the Resistance. He remembered her words well:

'_Don't think of this as a present or something. I'm giving it to you so you don't get yourself killed. There's only so many of us as it is and we need to keep as many people as we can, yeah? Just use it if you're ever in a bind.'_

He smiled. That was two times in a row now that she had helped him without her even being there.

Rusl didn't stop running until he was at Link's side, "Are you alright?" he asked nervously.

The hero nodded feebly, his breathing at an alarmingly fast rate. Rusl sighed in relief but didn't waste any time. He quickly got his son back up onto Epona and just as he was about to get into the saddle himself, he turned to Shad with a smile and said, "Thank you."

* * *

_**Bravery comes in many different forms, and is not always reserved for the hero.**_


	45. When it Rains, it Pours

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 4/14/14 – Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 45: When it Rains, it Pours

**.:.**

Dawn peaked over Lake Hylia at their backs in no time at all, casting tall shadows before them. Death Mountain stood majestically in the distance, its peaks and plateaus lit up beautifully by the rising sun in the east. Morning was upon them, but they still had quite a ways to travel.

The remainder of the trek was noiseless and uneventful. They had to come to a stop on one occasion due to the hero gagging and seeming like he was going to be sick again, but with his stomach devoid of anything but its natural acids, it proved to be only a dry heaving.

Link's discomfort was intense, fogging his brain from thinking clearly. His consciousness had not left him, nor had it even attempted to; but he found himself wishing that it had. He just wanted to sleep; he wanted to be rid of the painful sensation of the poison pumping its course through his body. He had opened his eyes and glanced about a few times, but found it to be simply exhausting holding his eyelids open – it was already draining enough just to keep himself from slipping off Epona's back.

Rusl's prediction of their arrival had been spot on. Just as the sun reached its highest point in the sky, the two horses and three riders galloped into Kakariko Village.

The sight they beheld upon entering, however, was one that they did not expect. The carcasses of deceased Bulblins lay strewn about the dusty town in a haphazard formation. The resident Gorons were busy at work piling up the dead bodies so as to properly dispose of them. The scene was grotesque, and not a single familiar face was to be found upon entry, which instantly cast a dark cloud of worry over Rusl's mind.

"What in Din's name…" the Ordonian mumbled, bringing Epona to a halt at the bank of the spirit's spring.

Shad rode in some seconds later, and after witnessing the bloody scene, whispered to himself, "Oh dear…"

Rusl hopped off his steed in a frenzy as he shouted, "Renado!"

After getting no response, he whirled back around to Link and helped him to get out of the saddle. He dismounted with a stumble, and Rusl wrapped the hero's arm over his own shoulders to help him keep his balance, allowing him to lean against him.

Shad left Rusl's stallion beside Epona and approached one of the nearby Gorons, saying in a bit of a nervous voice, "Excuse me, good fellow, do you by chance know where we might find the shaman that resides in this village?"

"Hello, humans," one of the Gorons said that appeared much older and wiser than the others of its kind as it turned around to greet them, "Renado is inside the inn with the little ones."

"What happened here?" Rusl asked as he began slowly making his way in that direction with a slightly comprehensive Link in tow and Shad following close behind.

The Goron looked disheartened as he replied, "The village was attacked this morning by those ugly green creatures," he said as he motioned to the lifeless forms on the ground.

Link's ears perked up at those words in instant worry. He lifted up his head to look at the Goron as he spoke, realizing then that it was Gor Coron - one of the tribe elders and the one he had bested in the sumo contest.

"I could see the mob from my mountain, so I and my fellow Gorons rolled down into the village and finished off the vermin – they were no match for our brute strength," he paused, noticing the bad shape the hero was in and directed his attention to Link as he asked, "What's the matter, little brother?"

Link shook his head, saying, "I'm fine, I need to know if Renado and the children are alright."

Gor Coron exhaled and stated, "One of the littlest humans was trying to fight the monsters, and it looked like he got injured. I couldn't make out much, brother, but I did see Renado carrying him into the inn."

Link's heart practically skipped a beat. Worry-filled adrenaline suddenly pumped through his veins and he broke himself free of Rusl's grasp before dashing towards the run-down building aforementioned. Rusl called out his name and begged him to stop so that he wouldn't further exert himself, but he paid him no mind; all he could think about was how much he would hate himself if he were to discover that one of the children had gotten badly hurt in his absence.

He pumped his legs as quickly as he could, despite the jelly-like feeling of his muscles and the protesting of his entire body. He felt as if he could collapse at any second, and he nearly tumbled to the ground in front of Malo's store, but he was just barely able to keep his balance. He bounded up the small, exterior staircase and swung open the door in a flurry. He dashed up the interior stairwell like mad, skipping two steps in each stride. He nearly passed right by the room everyone was in, skidding to a stop once he realized. He rushed into the cold chamber and stopped to catch his breath at the foot of the bed.

It took a moment for his mind to catch up with him and to register what was happening, but what he saw before him was something he had hoped he would never have to witness again.

He saw a troubled looking Talo on the far side of the cot with Beth beside him. Renado sat opposite Talo and Beth with his daughter, Luda, next to him. Malo stood some ways off beside an armoire, and Ilia sat on top of the second cot on the other side of the room. Lying in the bed in front of him seemingly unconscious was none other than his little brother, Colin. Link didn't know what to say. He gasped, trying to take in air as he held himself up by the footboard of the bed.

Rusl and Shad came running in only a moment or two later, and the look of pure fright on Rusl's face had been entirely different from Link's. The hero didn't know what to think. His initial thought was that he was horribly worried for the boy's health, but on the other hand he was furious with himself for not being at the village in its time of need.

Renado stood upon everyone's sudden entry, holding out his palms as a calming gesture, "Now, please everyone, do not fret. Colin is faring well," he paused briefly, noticing Link's sickly appearance, "Link, dear boy, you do not look well at all. Come lie down in the next room and I will look you ov-"

"No," Link shook his head feebly, his brain becoming woozy again now that his body had come to a standstill, "Make sure Colin is alright first."

"He _is_ alright, I assure you. At least tell me what it is that ails you," the shaman pleaded.

Link shook his head again as he went over to the boy's bedside, making room for himself in between Talo and a rickety nightstand. He changed the subject, "What happened to Colin? How did he get hurt?"

Renado stepped out of the way, allowing room for Rusl to be at his son's side opposite Link. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Beth who replied, "He got hurt trying to fight those scary monsters outside… He said it was up to him to protect the village when Link was gone."

"Yeah," Talo added, "He said Link told him to make sure everyone was safe while he was away… So he tried to fight them even though Mister Renado was telling us all to come inside."

Link crumpled to his knees beside the bed, grasping Colin's tiny hand on the way down. It was his fault… An intense anger at himself welled up inside of him that he almost didn't know how to react to it. He had always sworn to protect these children, and yet, he had been the cause of one's pain. He never should have told him to protect the village. He should have been here when it was attacked… He should have been here!

The shaman stepped in to elaborate, "The Bulblins advanced on the village early this morning while the children were playing outside. I was sitting on the porch of the inn and as soon as I heard their screams I called for the children to come inside. They all came except for Colin, who shouted back that it was up to him to protect us since Link was absent. When he turned back around, he… he was struck upside the head with one of the fiend's clubs."

Link hung his head in shame, resting his forehead on his and Colin's clasped hands.

"I rushed in and grabbed him after he fell," Renado continued, his voice soft in a hopeful attempt to keep the new arrivals calm, "And as I got the children into the inn I could see the Gorons taking care of the vile creatures, so we are safe for now. But, as for Colin… he will be alright. He received a mild concussion and will most likely remain unconscious for a while yet, but he will awaken before too long and all will be well - so long as he gets plenty of rest, that is."

Rusl stroked his son's cheek gently, pushing the stray locks of blond hair away from his eyes. There was a sadness on the older man's features, but there was also assuredness and an unwavering confidence in his boy – he truly knew that Colin would be just fine; he could _feel_ it.

Link, on the other hand, was distraught. Not with worry or doubt, but with guilt and regret. It was his fault that his little brother got hurt. It was his fault for not being there and for instilling the notion in the boy's head that it was up to him and him alone to protect the whole of the village when he was away.

"Link, are you okay?" Beth asked quietly from beside Talo.

The brunet boy chimed in, "Yeah, are you sick or something?"

"He looks like he could pass out at any minute…" Malo mumbled from the far corner of the room.

"Yes, Link, you must let Renado see to you. Come on, I'll help you into the next room," Rusl said as he turned and headed for the door.

"No," the young man said weakly, "I will not leave Colin until I know that he's alright."

Rusl turned back toward him, "Renado has already told us that Colin _will_ be alright. I'm his father and I'm not worried; I trust fully in what this man tells us. Do you not?" he retorted.

"I need to _see _that he's alright," Link said, lifting his head to look at the boy.

"Link, plea-," Rusl tried, but was interrupted by the hero's sudden outburst.

"I said no!" he reached a hand up to his temple as the raise in his voice caused his head to spin, "I'll be fine… It's all my fault Colin is hurt and… I just need to see him open his eyes… to know that he's okay…"

Rusl sighed, "I understand your worry, but you must also understand mine. You are not well and you _need_ to be seen to."

Link simply shook his head, and it was then that Renado ventured to ask, "What is it that plagues him? Is he sick or has he been wounded in battle?"

Shad took the initiative of responding, "He has a rather nasty looking bite on his arm. Its size and shape indicate that it was inflicted by an unnaturally large arachnid, I'm afraid, and I believe the old chap has been reacting to its poison."

A look of almost disbelief flashed on his wise features for a moment as he glanced between the scholar and Rusl, but when nothing more was said, Renado turned back to Link and stated, "Link, my boy, you will not last long if you do not let me tend to you right away."

The hero looked at him blankly with bloodshot eyes, "It wasn't fatal… last time…"

"Last time you were stung by a jellyfish, which is purely on the skin and external. You were only poisoned on that occasion because it seeped into your flesh. With a spider bite, like in this instance, the venom is injected directly into your bloodstream, making it much more dangerous. If the marks are as large as this young gentleman-"

Shad cleared his throat, "It's Shad, my good sir. Pleased to make your acquaintance!"

He stuck out his hand, hoping to shake in greeting, but the shaman merely glanced at him and then back to Link before reiterating, "If the marks are as large as _Shad_ claims they are, then it is even more fatal."

Link hung his head again, trying to ignore the healer's words and trying even more dreadfully to push aside the agonizing discomfort in his body and the aching of his tense muscles. He wouldn't leave Colin's side, simple as that - he refused. It was because of him that this happened, and he would not let Renado spend time on his own wellbeing until he knew that his brother's was completely taken care of.

Renado heaved a sigh upon recognition that Link would still not budge. Rusl ran a hand down his face and gave a sigh as well. Noticing this, Ilia stood from her seat and made her way around the bed, approaching the hero from behind as she placed a calming hand on his shoulder.

"Link, please let Mister Renado help you…" she whispered in his ear gently, "I… can't stand to see you like this, and I… I don't know what I would do if anything were to happen to you…" her words were genuine and from the heart, but she couldn't understand why she felt so strongly.

Link's heart fluttered at her breath on his neck and her kindhearted concerns, reminding him that his best friend was still in there somewhere. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, "I… I'm sorry. I just… need to stay with him."

Ilia looked up at the shaman, giving him a desperate look in a wordless attempt at telling him that she had a plan. He returned her gaze confusedly, but when she motioned slightly at the nearby cupboard that housed the healer's medicines, he caught on instantly.

He opened the small cabinet door quietly, so as to keep the hero completely unaware, and tossed the young girl a vial filled with a dark purple liquid. She caught it single-handedly and, using her free hand, tugged the hero's head back softly. She quickly uncorked the glass bottle and tipped it to Link's lips until it was completely empty, not even giving him a second to wonder what was happening.

He nearly gagged as she forced him to swallow the bitter tasting medicine, but he did so without much reluctance – or perhaps he had just been too weak to fight it. He wiped his mouth dry with the back of his wrist, a look of surprise and disgust on his face.

"What was-," be began, but went silent abruptly as soon as a massive wave of nausea overtook him again. He hunched over, sitting back on his shins, allowing his forehead to rest against the side of the mattress.

"Are you going to be sick again?" Rusl asked worriedly.

Link simply shook his head as he desperately held back the bile in his throat. It subsided moments later, and he swallowed down what was left in his esophagus. He lifted his head back up with a grimace, his mind now a complete blur. He looked around at everyone with narrowed eyes, his head pounding from the light in the room. He could feel Ilia's movement at his side and, even in his groggy state, knew that another potion was coming. He turned away from her as she tried to press another bottle to his mouth.

She pleaded, "Come on, Link, this will help you."

He shook his head, "I remember what happened last time… he gave me medicine that put me to sleep. I don't…" he breathed once slowly, the aching slowly becoming more unbearable, "I want to see him wake up, so I can… say sorry…"

Rusl furrowed his brow, "Say sorry for what?"

Link sighed, not wanting to speak as it had become an exhausting task, "He got hurt because I wasn't here… because I told him to protect the village… because I…" his voice faded out, and he started leaning to the side, no longer strong enough to hold himself up.

Ilia noticed that he was about to fall into the nightstand and she acted quickly. She got to her knees behind him, so as to be at his level, and she caught his upper half before he could hurt himself. She laid his head down in her lap and he looked up at her moments later with a slight smile.

"Thanks," he whispered feebly. He winced again, from some unknown discomfort that Ilia could not relate to, and he gave in, "I suppose I'll… take that potion now…"

Ilia smiled sweetly as she uncorked the bottle for the second time and said, "Colin will be okay, I promise. And… so will you," she tipped it to his dry lips and finished with, "Sweet dreams, hero."

As he lay there, staring up at his best friend, he felt an inexplicable peace despite all the negativity in the situation. Though his vision was beginning to blur from the medicine, he could make out her beautiful face crystal clear. She smiled down at him happily; her presence soothed him, and he didn't protest the inevitable sleep that came moments later.

When his eyes finally closed and his breathing evened out signifying that he had left consciousness behind, Ilia glanced over at the shaman and declared, "He's asleep."

Rusl sighed in relief and the children made room for Renado as he went to the side of the bed where Link lay on the floor. He lifted the hero up into his arms and proceeded into the hallway and then into the adjacent room.

After giving his younger son a kiss on the forehead, Rusl followed the shaman into the neighboring room to assure his older son's welfare. Everyone else did the same, knowing that Colin was alright and wanting to make sure that Link was as well. That is, everyone except Ilia.

She didn't feel like she could stand to see any more of the hero looking worn down. Her heart was telling her that she had strong feelings for this man, a pent up love for years past, but her mind was telling her that she barely knew him, and had only met him a few months ago. She closed her eyes and sighed, getting to her feet as she tried to make sense of her warring thoughts and feelings.

She walked around the edge of the bed and took a seat in the stool the shaman was previously occupying at Colin's side. She grasped the little boy's hand and smiled at the serene look on his face. There was a large bump on the side of his head, but he still looked as if he was in a peaceful slumber. She decided to stay with him not only because she felt a strange bond with this boy as well, but also because she promised Link that Colin would be alright, and she was going to make sure that that promise did not get broken in his sleep.

Renado laid an unconscious Link down on the freshly cleaned bed in his usual chambers and promptly examined his left arm. What he could see through the hole in his ivory undershirt looked gruesome, but its sheer size did not allow him to see it fully. He carefully removed the hero's arm guard and bracer before slowly and gently rolling up the sleeve of his linen shirt, revealing the entirety of the damage.

Nearly all of his veins on the affected arm were enflamed, especially the closer they got to the infection. The center, where the two puncture marks could be seen, were nearly black in color, and a ring of white and purple spanned outward from there.

The healer hung his head and let out a long exhale, "I have never seen an insect bite like this in all my years. Shad was definitely correct when he stated that it was an unnaturally large arachnid."

Rusl glanced down at Link on the bed, then back up at Renado who was motioning to his daughter for something and asked, "But you still know what to do, right?"

Luda handed her father a small, thin cloth before going downstairs to fetch something. The shaman rolled the fabric up to make it even thinner and then tied it tightly around Link's bicep, "This will stop the venom from continuing to spread, but I can tell plainly by his symptoms that it has already spread quite severely."

"Umm…" Talo chimed in, "Does that mean he's gonna die?"

Renado shook his head to make the children feel better before saying, "No… But why don't you children go outside and play. Almost the entirety of the Goron tribe is down in the village at present, so you will be safe."

"Are you sure, Mister Renado?" Beth asked nervously.

"Of course. If I wasn't, I would not have suggested it," he said sternly.

"So, Link's gonna be okay?" the little girl inquired again.

"Yes, yes. Run along now, children," Renado demanded, and they did just that, leaving only himself, Rusl, and Shad in the room.

Luda returned moments later with a bucket of cold water, setting it between her and her father. She dabbed a rag in the liquid, wrung it out so that it was damp, not dripping, and applied it to Link's forehead. Renado grabbed another rag of his own and began cleansing the hero's wound.

"You said the venom has already spread…" Rusl began, bringing an end to the harsh silence, "What does that mean for him? Will the medicine you gave him counteract the poison?"

The shaman didn't turn to look at who he spoke to, but he replied, "The potion I gave him is a simple antidote, a liquid whose sole purpose is to slow the spread of poison. It does not offset the poison nor does it heal; that part is up to Link. When he was previously stung by the jellyfish it was much simpler because it hadn't had a chance to enter his bloodstream. This time, however, that is where it was directly inserted."

Rusl ran his hands through his hair as anxiety began to grip at his spirit. He pulled up a chair and sat at the empty side of the bed, gazing nervously at the sleeping hero. He had a thick layer of sweat at his hairline, dripping down his face in long trails. A radiant heat was coming off of him, and he was very hot to the touch, indicating that he had a fever. Even though he was deep in sleep, his muscles were tensed as if they were in heavy use. His joints were stiff, making it difficult for Renado to work at his elbow as it strained against bending.

When something suddenly occurred to him, the shaman glanced over at Rusl, "Why is his right arm not in its sling?"

The Ordonian let out an exasperated exhale, realizing that Renado was not going to be happy with his response, "He said he ran into some trouble and could not defend himself properly without both his arms."

"Well now he may never be able to defend himself properly again. Does he not understand that he needs to allow time for his body to heal? He may be the Goddesses chosen hero but he is still human – he has limits, just like everyone else."

Rusl was taken aback at Renado's outburst; it simply wasn't like him, but he couldn't deny that it was justifiable.

The healer sighed, "I am sorry. He just needs to come to the realization that not every ailment can be soothed and not every wound can be mended."

They were in silence for a moment, avoiding each other's glares.

Renado spoke up again, "I can't always fix him," he stated bluntly, getting Rusl's attention back instantly, "If he keeps being careless like this, I… I don't know. I am a shaman and a healer, not a deity or a wielder of magic. Not everything can be healed."

"This can, though, right?" Rusl said monotonously, growing irritated with the shaman's uncharacteristically negative tone.

"Possibly. With proper rest and-"

"No, not _possibly_. You said it _can_, correct? Did you not say that your medicine slows the poison, and that it is up to Link to fight it off?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"No '_buts_.' Link is strong enough to fight off a spider bite – there is no way in Hyrule such a miniscule thing would do him in. And perhaps he did further injure his arm by using it, but he's still been using it since then without hesitation. It would seem that you doubt him. There is a strength and an indomitable will in him that I think you have yet to see."

Renado dropped what he was doing and declared angrily, "Do not tell me what I have not seen in him. I have tended to him nearly a dozen times, and I have seen him at his worst. No matter how many times I have watched him fall, I have seen him get up an extra time. You have no place in telling me that I have yet to witness his strength, or that I have any doubt in him. I know what he is capable of, and I was not suggesting that he was not strong enough to overcome this. I was merely stating that I worry for him! Do you not? I have been here for him in these past months far more than you, and yet, you sit here and accuse me?"

There was a bitter silence at that moment that no one dared to end for quite some time. Rusl's and Renado's eyes remained locked on each other for some unknown minutes, both completely at a loss for what to say next.

Rusl was simply dumbfounded; he had not expected such a reply from this man, his friend. Shad glanced in between the two men awkwardly, not knowing what he should do. Luda resumed patting the cloth to Link's forehead, trying to ignore the quarrels of the adults. Rusl gazed down at his sandals, deep in thought for quite a while as he thought of how to respond. He looked back up at Renado, who had returned to cleaning the hero's wound.

"You know that I regret not being here for Link when he was first called upon by the Goddesses. It bothers me each and every day that he could have died on numerous occasions without my knowing simply due to my absence. I'm sorry if I offended you with what I said, but I feel that you were out of line," Rusl stated as he got to his feet and headed for the door, "I will leave you to your work."

As soon as he was gone, the shaman dropped the rag he was using and sighed heavily as he let his face fall into his palms in guilt.

Luda placed a hand on her father's back, whispering, "It's okay, Papa, he knows you didn't mean it."

Renado turned to her with a smile and said, "Thank you, my daughter."

"Um," Shad suddenly cleared his throat, "Excuse me, old fellow, but you wouldn't perhaps have an extra bed where someone such as myself could get a little shuteye, would you?"

The healer chuckled slightly at the scholar's way of speaking before saying, "The first room at the top of the stairwell."

With a nod and a '_thank you_,' Shad took off down the hallway and retreated into the chamber specified where he slept like a baby.

Rusl had gone into the next room over to sit with Colin. When he entered and saw Ilia seated beside the cot, he said, "You aren't worried, too, are you?"

She turned towards him swiftly, his sudden appearance causing her heart to leap inside her chest.

"I'm sorry," he apologized as he sat at the opposite side of the bed, "I didn't mean to startle you."

She smiled, "It's alright. I was just deep in thought is all."

"Oh? What about?" he questioned curiously.

She glanced up at him, a bit shocked that this stranger would so openly prod into her thoughts, "Well, um… Nothing in particular," she lied.

The room fell quiet after that. Ilia wasn't sure what to say to this man she didn't know and Rusl wasn't sure what to say to this girl he had watched grow up that couldn't even remember his name.

Taking a risk, he ventured to ask, "Have any memories come back to you recently?"

She paused, a look of concentration on her feminine features, "I think so…" she inhaled and exhaled once slowly, trying to condense her rampant thoughts into terms, "I remember a village with a ranch… I remember a loving father, but I don't know what he looks like… I remember goats, horses, a stream, children, and… and a man I loved."

Rusl's eyes went wide at the last bit, but he said not a word. He waited for her to continue, but when she didn't, he spoke up, "A man you loved, you say?"

She nodded, "I can't remember his name, or what he looked like… but he was handsome and kindhearted… He loved animals, and I think I loved animals, too. Especially horses."

Rusl couldn't help but smile – the Ilia he knew was truly still in there somewhere, and she was desperately trying to get out. "I'm glad your memories are returning to you. Now it's only a matter of time before you remember everything."

Ilia smiled a bit sadly, "I hope you're right…"

Night came quickly that day, but dawn seemed like it would never appear to those that did not find rest during the darkest hours. Renado was one that did not sleep. He sat at Link's bedside, ensuring that the poison did not take him during the night. The hero's fever hadn't come down by even a single degree, but he had at least managed to remain in dreamland through the early morning hours, meaning he was free from pain and discomfort.

Rusl was another that did not find sleep. He, similar to Renado, sat at the bedside of one who was not in the best condition. Colin had opened his eyes dazedly on one occurrence, but had quickly closed them and gone back to sleep soon after.

Shad woke up early the following morning in order to locate the clues to the sky beings that were said to be abundant in the village. He wasn't sure where to start, so he simply began searching every visible inch.

The Gorons had stationed themselves around Kakariko during the night, ensuring that the denizens of the dusty town were well protected.

Colin awoke that morning as well, and was happy to see his father sitting beside him. The shaman, not saying a word to Rusl, came in and told the boy that he needed to stay in bed as he gave him an apple to eat for breakfast. Talo, Beth, and Luda came into Colin's room to occupy him as he lay in bed – they designed an obstacle course around the room in which they could not touch the floor because it was lava, and whichever of the three made it back to Colin faster was the victor. Malo, of course, did not participate - he kept to his shop as he usually did.

After Colin had woken up and was quickly occupied with the other children, Rusl made his way into Link's room to see a tired looking Renado at his bedside. Wordlessly, the Ordonian sat in the chair opposite him, looking worriedly at his oldest son as he slept.

A bit of silence passed, and the shaman realized that he had something he needed to say.

"I apologize for what I said yesterday," he glanced over at Rusl who was avoiding eye contact. He went on, "I was frustrated and worried, and I let my emotions get the better of me. I did not mean to offend you when I mentioned your previous absence. I do not regret defending my stance as fully understanding Link's strength and having the utmost confidence in him, but I do regret the way in which I said it. So, I am very sorry."

Sheer quiet overtook them for a good minute, until Rusl decided to say, "I accept, and I am sorry as well. Can we move past this and concentrate on getting my boys better?"

Renado smiled slightly and gave a nod, "I would have it no other way."

As the afternoon swept in slowly, Link began coming to. As his mind was awakening along with his senses, he realized how drastically different it felt to be poisoned versus suffering from a flesh wound from an arrow or a weapon.

Being wounded was inescapable pain in being conscious. Depending on the severity, blood loss made doing anything difficult and agonizing, even simply being awake. Being poisoned, however, was just intensely uncomfortable.

No doubt, there was pain involved as well as his heart pumped faster and faster in an attempt to thwart the infection, but it felt so _different_. It was more draining and exhausting as opposed to sheer torture. The constant and involuntary contracting of his every muscle made it feel as if he had been on his feet for weeks on end, lifting tons of weight without pause. His fever made him feel ill, along with the vertigo and queasiness, but he decided that - even though it was unpleasant in every sense of the word - it was definitely more bearable than bleeding out.

His eyes creaked open to see Renado sitting at his left and Rusl at his right. Also unlike other injuries, he was fully conscious and aware of everything that had happened as well as his surroundings right when he came to. He licked his dry lips, shivering as he realized that he felt rather cold despite the blanket on top of him and the sweat dripping down his brow.

His first thought consisted of that of his brother and he wasted no time wondering, "Has Colin woken up?" Link asked.

Rusl nodded, "Yes. He's awake and he's doing just fine."

"He has to stay in bed, though, same as you," Renado added.

Link looked over at his arm, unable to see the damage as it was covered by a cool, damp rag. He noticed the fabric knotted tightly around his bicep and instantaneously became curious.

"What's the tied cloth for?" he inquired, looking at the shaman.

"It is to stop the venom from spreading further. Since you waited so long after the initial bite to be treated, however, the poison has already spread throughout your system quite successfully," Renado stated diagnostically.

"I'm sorry," Link muttered with a sigh, "I really didn't think anything of it until I started feeling ill at Telma's Bar."

"Well," Renado started, "It never hurts to be overly cautious."

Link nodded wordlessly. He understood Renado's concerns, but he simply could not justify wasting time mending himself unless he knew for a fact that it was something he couldn't physically continue on with.

Noticing the hero's expression take on a bit of a grim look, Rusl spoke up, "It will make you happy, I'm sure, to know that Ilia seems to be getting much better."

Link's face practically lit up, "Really?"

Rusl nodded, "She even mentioned recalling a boy she once loved. She said she didn't know his name or who he is, but she said he was handsome, kindhearted, and a lover of animals. Now, I don't know about you, Renado, but that sounds a bit like our dear Link. Don't you think so?"

"Oh, yes. There's no doubt about it," the shaman played along, a miniscule smile tugging at his wise features.

Link's cheeks instantly flushed a deep scarlet, even through the slight paleness that took over his tired face, "She… she really said that?"

Rusl smiled with a nod, "She did."

The hero couldn't help but smile himself – there truly was the possibility of her regaining her memory after all. Honestly, for a while he had given up all hope that she would ever be the best friend he once knew. But now, her memories were slowly coming back to her, and Link couldn't be more ecstatic to be able to speak with her again in the future. That's what he had been missing for the longest time: hearing her say his name in the way she used to. He even longed for her to nag at him like she did when they were younger.

She remembered loving him… Had he grown to love her back? He couldn't think on it; it made his cheeks grow warm with embarrassment and his head hurt with confusion.

Realizing that he had done well to lift the young man's spirits, Rusl began to take his leave as he said, "I will go let Colin know that you are awake; it will do his heart well."

Upon his exit, the shaman turned to Link and asked, "How are you feeling?"

Link glanced at him, then down at his forearm before replying, "Truthfully, pretty awful."

Renado nodded, "That is expected. Your body is trying to fight off a rather incredible amount of poison. It may not feel like it, but you truly threatened your life in this instance."

"Isn't every instance that way?" the hero chuckled dryly.

The shaman looked at him sadly. Knowing it was the truth, he said not a word, and a strange silence befell them for a handful of minutes until Link spoke up again.

"Renado, I… I think I'm starting to realize that this journey is going to be the end of me."

Renado furrowed his brow, honestly shocked at the boy's lack of faith in himself, "Do not surrender to doubt, my son. You have done so much good and overcome so much hardship already. Who's to say you cannot overcome the rest?"

"The simple fact that I have yet to face the root of it all, and… I don't think I can win," he responded promptly, without even a second of contemplation.

The healer sighed, hanging his head briefly as he thought on what to say to make the young man feel more confident in himself. He looked back up at Link, obvious dread and apprehension on his weary face.

"Your uncertainty troubles me," Renado began, his tone stern yet soothing, "All this time, it has been you who has held everyone together and assured us all that everything would truly be alright. It is you who keeps the children looking to the future, and it is you who keeps us all optimistic for what it may bring. To hear you now with so little faith in yourself after all that you have been through… it tears at my heart."

"I just… I've made too many mistakes and I've been far too careless on too many occasions. Considering I've barely been able to keep myself alive so far, how can anyone expect me to survive anything more severe?"

There was a pause as Link considered how negative he was sounding, and decided to add, "I don't mean that I'm anticipating my failure. I know that I will succeed, and that's only because I cannot and _will_ not die before I know that my loved ones are safe from evil. What I'm saying is that I don't expect to survive once it's all over."

A deep sorrow in the older man's eyes told Link that his words truly distressed him, but he would not take them back, because he honestly meant what he said. Renado heaved a sigh as he was beginning to realize that there was no convincing him otherwise.

"I wish you would not doubt yourself, but I want you to know that I have every confidence in you, and I know that you will not only succeed, but that you will live to see the benefits of your hardships."

Link smiled crookedly at the thought, "How nice it would be were that to come true…"

With those words, heavy weights tugged at the hero's eyelids and in no time at all, he was fast asleep again.

The shaman sat in silence, watching as Link took in shallow breaths and contemplating their conversation. The hero's words affected the older man more than he would ever realize, and he only hoped that he could prove to him that he was so much stronger than what he gave himself credit for.

Renado could only imagine the massive amount of perseverance and determination it took for Link to continue on each day when he was undeniably tired and worn down, even if not physically, mentally and emotionally. To even simply come back from the ultimate lows that he had witnessed in him was a feat in itself. So the fact that, despite all that, he still questioned himself was dismaying.

All he could do was pray to Farore that she would watch over her chosen and grant him not only with the courage to defeat the malevolence plaguing Hyrule, but more so to overcome his inner doubt in himself. Link was so much more than what he thought of himself, and Renado only hoped that he would realize his own strength before the end.

Because if he didn't, then it truly _would_ lead to the end of the Goddess' chosen hero.

* * *

_**When one thing goes wrong, everything goes wrong.**_


	46. Piecing it Together

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 4/16/14 – Polished, minor errors and typos fixed, enhanced by readers' criticisms._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 46: Piecing it Together

**.:.**

"Link! Link, you stupid wolf! Wake up! I have a bone to pick with you!"

The hero's eyes creaked open groggily at the loud shrieking of his shadow. His body felt heavy and it was rather unpleasant being conscious, but the sight of his friend and companion was a welcome one.

He mustered a smile through slanted lids as he croaked, "Morning."

"'_Morning_'?" she parroted with a scoff, "Don't '_morning_' me when I'm angry at you!"

He gave a slight chuckle, taking her outburst as nothing more than her typical sarcastic humor.

"I'm not kidding," she spat, "You need to explain yourself."

He furrowed his brow as he realized she was serious, "Explain what?" he asked, trying to sit up a bit. He noticed then that it was actually the middle of the night, which clarified why no one was at his bedside and why his partner felt comfortable enough to be exposed to the world of light.

"Explain what you said to the old guy earlier. Why in Din's name were you going on about not surviving?" she demanded with her hands on her hips.

Link sighed, hoping that his comrade would have forgotten about that conversation altogether, "It's just how I feel. Can we not talk about this right now, please?"

"No, we're going to talk about it now," she declared, "Where did that even come from? I've never heard you talk like that before."

"It's been on my mind for a while now," he said honestly, his voice a bit hoarse.

He looked up at the imp as she sunk down onto the bed beside him. Noticing her saddened expression, he continued, "I'm sorry to make you worry. I didn't think it would really bother you all this much."

"You didn't think it would _bother_ me? Seriously? You didn't think it would bother me to hear you say that you plan on dying at the end of all this?" her tone was beginning to escalate, "I know you didn't honestly think I wouldn't care; you aren't that stupid!"

"You used to think I was. Maybe you were right," he said monotonously.

Her expression went blank; she was at a loss for words. She wasn't sure if he said that to strike up guilt in her, or if he was truly too feverish to comprehend the impact his words would have on her.

"I told you I was sorry for saying that. Are you just trying to make me feel bad?" she asked agitatedly.

Link suddenly looked a bit shocked, showing Midna that he obviously didn't intend that in the slightest, "No, I wasn't trying to make you feel bad. I'm sorry… my head's a bit woozy."

She quickly shrugged off the distraction, "That's all beside the point! I want to know what the hell gave you the idea that you're going to die!"

He breathed deep, closing his eyes briefly before responding, "I've just… had too many close encounters with death and I really don't see how I can face the one responsible for all the evil I've fought so far and survive."

It was silent for a moment, only a moment, but it felt like so much longer. The imp's expression then took on an emotion that Link could only describe as hopelessness before she said, "So then what's the point of going on?"

Link sighed, "Midna, I didn't mean we shouldn't go-"

"No!" she barked, floating above the bed once again, "What's the point if you've already given up!"

"I haven't giv-"

"Obviously you have if you're saying you're going to _die_, Link! Why would you keep leading me on like this if you've been thinking this whole time that you can't do it? Why give me the hope of victory only to tell me now, near the end of it all, that there is none? Why!"

"There _is_ hope, Midna. I meant that-"

"What's the point if you don't think you can beat this? What's the damn _point_, Link! Why go off and face this if you don't think you'll live, huh? Now _that is _stupid!"

"It's not that I don't thin-"

"_Shut up_!" she screamed so loud the hero was sure the Gorons down in the village could hear it.

"No, Midna, _you_ shut up!" Link yelled in return, trying to sit up as he did so only to find that he quickly became extremely lightheaded. With a grimace and a huff he fell back to the bed.

Midna was quiet, mutely taking in everything that had been said. Link had told her to shut up… that was the first time he ever said that to her; she laughed inwardly at that realization. She let out a slow exhale as a way to calm herself before sinking down onto the soft cot beside her friend.

"Link, I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"It's alright," he muttered, opening his eyes once his head stopped spinning, "But, will you let me speak now?" he asked with a slight smirk.

She smiled in return and gave a nod.

"It's not that I think I can't beat this, or that there's no hope of victory. If you had been listening when I was talking to Renado, I told him that there's no way I'm going to let evil win. I _will_ defeat it, and that's that. I'm just… not so sure that I'll live to see Hyrule restored."

"But…" Midna began, staring down at the ivory duvet beneath her, "You can't think like that, Link. Can you imagine how all the kids would feel if you were gone? Or Rusl? Or Ilia? Or me…?"

The hero sighed yet again, "I don't mean to make them worry over me. It's just-"

"Link?" an unexpected voice could be heard from the other side of the door.

Midna quickly dove for the shadows just as the doorknob was turning and Renado appeared over the threshold.

The shaman glanced about the room before saying, "Was someone in here with you? I heard talking."

"Uh," Link stammered, completely at a loss for what to say, "Well, I, um-"

"He was most likely just talking in his sleep," Rusl suddenly appeared behind Renado, explaining with a chuckle, "He did it a lot as a lad; it wouldn't surprise me if he started it up again."

Renado glanced between the two Ordonians skeptically, "But I heard shouting."

Rusl dismissed it with a wave of his hand, "Night terrors. Poor boy used to get them quite often. He would always wake himself up in the dead of night, screaming about some monster that was going to get him."

The shaman turned to Link, "Is this true, my boy?"

Link nodded apprehensively.

Renado was surprisingly convinced, "I see. Well, I'm terribly sorry to intrude. Do try to get some sleep though, alright?"

The hero nodded again, and the healer was off.

Rusl then entered the room, closed the door behind him, and sat at his son's side as Link said, "Good cover."

The older man gave a quiet laugh, "Ah, yes. It seems I haven't lost my touch. And it wasn't entirely a lie – the bit about you having night terrors as a child and all that – so my conscience is clear."

Link smiled and Rusl continued, "You were speaking with… _Midna_, am I right?"

Taking that as her cue, the imp presented herself as Link replied, "Yes."

"You truly must be more careful," Rusl advised seriously, "I don't know what you two were yelling for, but it woke up nearly everyone."

"It was my fault," Midna confessed, "I was mad at Link about something he said yesterday and I got a little out of control. I'm sorry."

The older man turned to her and said, "Now that you mention it, I actually have a question for you, if I may."

Midna looked confused, but replied, "Sure…"

"You were with Link when he was bit by the spider, I assume?"

The young Twili gave a slight sigh, immediately recognizing where the conversation was going, "You're going to say I should have made him get it checked out sooner, right?"

Rusl opened his mouth to respond, but she continued before he could utter a sound, "If that's what you were going to say then you must not know your son very well. He's stubborn and hard-headed. He doesn't listen and does things without thinking them through. Even if I _had_ begged and pleaded for him to come here to see the old guy, he wouldn't have done it. In his mind, his health and wellbeing are the least important. So, instead of asking me, why don't you ask him why he pushed it aside?"

The room was silent for a moment before Rusl began softly chuckling.

"What's so funny?" she demanded.

The Ordonian turned to Link, "Your friend certainly has a way of commanding your attention, doesn't she?"

The hero laughed a bit, "Yeah, she does. But she's right; I knew about it and just ignored it. I know I shouldn't have, but I just figured it wasn't a big deal."

Rusl sighed, "Well, at least you won't do that next time, right?"

Link nodded, "Right."

"Good. No sense talking about it now, though – you need to get some sleep," Rusl declared as he stood from his seat and headed for the door, "No more bickering and shouting, got it?"

"Don't worry, I'll make sure he goes to sleep!" Midna chirped happily, resulting in a smile from the older man before he took his leave.

She whirled back around to Link and ordered, "Now, go to sleep before I get any angrier with you!"

"You're really still mad at me?"

"Yes! Go to sleep before I say something I'll regret later."

Link closed his eyes, a small grin on his lips as he held back laughter at his friend's display, "You know you can't stay mad at me."

Midna scoffed, "Oh, yes I can."

In mere minutes, the hero was out like a light. He looked so serene and at peace as he lay on the bed, that same smile he had used to tease her only moments ago still lingering there. She couldn't help but smile herself when he started to quietly snore.

She heaved a sigh as she realized, "No, I really can't…"

The following morning came quickly, and Link was already fed up with being bedridden. Renado told him he wasn't strong enough to get up just yet, though, so he remained there still. The shaman cleaned the hero's wound and wrapped it in gauze before re-tying the cloth around his bicep with a clean one as he had sweat through the previous one.

When Renado vacated the room in order to help prepare lunch downstairs, Link took the opportunity to stand and stretch his legs.

His back ached a bit as he stood tall and outstretched his arms high above his head, letting out a contented sigh as he let them fall back down moments later. He couldn't stand being forced to stay put in one place for long, and being out of that cot felt amazing. He bent over and touched his toes, stretching out his calf muscles and his hamstrings.

As he stood back up, he looked down at himself. His tunic and mail were off, leaving him in naught but his comfortable tan britches and his long-sleeved ivory shirt. The left sleeve was rolled up since the shaman had just been working on that arm. He couldn't see the bite itself as it was bandaged, but he could see that the surrounding area had, in fact, healed up quite a bit. It was still slightly discolored, but it was a drastic improvement from before.

Not wanting to think about it, he tugged the sleeve back down, covering it up.

Midna noticed that he was up and didn't hesitate to chastise him, "Aren't you supposed to stay in bed?"

Link shrugged, "I guess, but I feel fine."

"That doesn't matter. You might _feel_ fine but your body might still be trying to… you know, fix itself, or whatever."

He chuckled at her way with words, "Maybe, but it can't hurt to just walk around a bit."

She sighed, "As long as you don't go running around trying to save the world and all that."

"No," he said with a quiet laugh as he grabbed his knapsack should he find himself in a bind just in case, fastened it on, and headed for the door, "Just going to see Colin."

"I should've known," Midna whispered playfully as she retreated to the shadows.

The hallway of the inn felt much cooler than the stuffy room he had been occupying. He wasn't sure if it was because it was an enclosed space and he had retained an overheated temperature, or if it was simply because his body was all out of whack at the moment.

He peered over the ledge and into the living area down below. He saw Rusl sitting at the table and he could overhear Renado speaking with Ilia and the other children about what they would like to have to eat in the kitchen. Link smirked; everyone was downstairs, giving him the perfect opportunity to see Colin without being lectured about staying in bed.

He opened the door to the room he knew the lad to be occupying slowly at first, not wanting to wake him should he be sleeping. As soon as it was open wide enough for him to peek inside, Colin instantly spotted him and shouted excitedly as he shot up in bed, "Link!"

The hero couldn't help but smile when he noticed just how lively and well the boy looked as he stepped into the room and took a seat beside the cot. He asked, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine… just bored!" he exclaimed, "I want to get up and go play with the others, but Mister Renado says I have to stay in bed."

Link chuckled, "I know how you feel – he told me the same thing."

"But…" he looked confused, "You're not in bed."

"Well," he smirked guiltily, scratching the back of his neck as he did so, "I guess I'm not a very good listener, am I?"

Colin shook his head with a hearty laughter. It was quiet for a moment before the boy then asked, "So, then, can _I_ get out of bed?"

"No, no," Link answered quickly, "You need to rest and get better."

"But if Mister Renado told you to stay in bed and you got out, how come you look okay? I bet I'll be okay if I get out of bed, too."

"No," Link replied again, trying not to laugh at the boy's cleverness and how easily he was able to catch on and adapt, "I only got out of bed to come make sure you were alright. I was very worried when I got to the village yesterday and I saw that you were hurt."

Colin suddenly looked disheartened, hanging his head as he stated solemnly, "Yeah, I… I was really trying to do what you said, Link. I'm just… too little and too weak and I wasn't able to keep my promise. I'm really sorry I failed…" he sniffled.

Link sighed, not even knowing where to begin. It tugged at his heart to hear his little brother speak in such a way, and the fact that it was _his_ fault that he felt so horrible about himself was even more painful.

After a moment of forming his emotions into words in his mind, he placed a hand on the boy's arm and began, "I'm sorry. I nev-"

"Why are you sorry? I'm the one that messed up, Link. I let you down… I feel so worthless…"

His words were damn near enough to make Link cry, but he held it back well, "Please, Colin, just be quiet and listen to your big brother for a minute, okay?"

The boy nodded sadly.

"First of all, none of what happened was your fault. It's _my_ fault for making you think that you had to put your life on the line to protect the rest of the village. Even though I told you I wanted your help watching over everyone, I never meant for you to fight. Fighting is _my_ job; not yours, not Talo's, not even Mister Renado's, but _mine_. Understand?"

He nodded again.

"I'm sorry that I put pressure on you, and made you feel like it was your job to keep everyone safe; you shouldn't have to worry about things like that. Worrying about all of you is another one of _my_ jobs, and _just_ mine, okay?"

_Nod._

"I never meant for you to stand up to monsters and fight, and I'm so very sorry that you thought that's what I intended of you. I would never – _never_ – purposely put you in danger like that. I care too much about all of you to ever ask that of you, you know that, right?"

_Nod._

"I'm sorry that I wasn't here when the village was attacked. My absence while you all were in danger is something that will likely plague me for quite some time. If anything like that ever happens again and I'm not here, you listen to Mister Renado and go inside. Understand?"

_Nod._

Link heaved a sigh, finishing at last, "About what you said about yourself… You are _not_ weak, and you are most certainly _not_ worthless. You may still be little, and you may still not be able to fight just yet, but you have something that not very many people have."

The child's eyes lit up, "What?"

"Courage. Mister Renado told me how you stood up to that nasty Bulblin, and I've gotta say, you're probably the bravest kid I know."

Colin's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, "You're just saying that…"

"No, I really mean it. You were very brave."

"But… I didn't feel brave. I felt like I just had to at least _try_ and keep everyone safe even though I was scared and I knew I wasn't going to win."

Link smiled, "That's exactly what makes you courageous."

The young boy furrowed his brow, "I don't understand."

The hero leaned in closer, "Courage isn't about being fearless, Colin. It's about having things that frighten you and being scared out of your mind but standing up against them despite that."

Colin glanced down at his hands in his lap before returning his brother's gaze, "But… you're not afraid of anything and you're still very brave!"

"I may be brave, but that's because there are things that scare me."

The lad's eyes grew wide as saucers, "Really? You get scared of stuff?"

Link chuckled and gave a nod, "Yes, I do. There are a lot of things that frighten me. It's facing them that makes me brave."

"What are you afraid of, Link?" Colin asked sincerely, looking into his brother's eyes for an answer.

"Well," the hero glanced down at his bare feet on the ground momentarily, "I'm afraid of you getting hurt, and I faced that the other day, didn't I?"

The blond boy looked away for a brief second as something clicked in his adolescent mind before saying, "So… does that mean you're braver than you were before?"

Link couldn't help but smile; this little boy was doing more for his spirit with his words than he could ever realize. Even though he didn't know how incredibly wise and insightful he was sounding as it was all merely the innocent questions of a child, he made the hero understand more about himself and his feelings on so many things than anyone else could when they were _trying_ to do so.

After a moment of realizing how much his words hit home, Link answered with a smile, "I believe so, yes."

Just then, the door to the room swung open and Renado stood over the threshold holding a steaming bowl in one hand and a glass of water in the other. Link cringed inwardly, preparing himself for the verbal lashing he was undoubtedly about to receive from the shaman.

"Link," Renado's voice sounded stern as he walked into the room, "Why are you not in bed?"

He gulped, "I'm sorry, I just needed to see if Colin was alright."

"And now that you have seen that he is?" he asked firmly, setting the dishes on the nightstand before turning to the hero with his arms folded over his chest.

"Aw, Mister Renado, are you really gonna make him go back to bed?" Colin asked, making sure to show him the cutest face he could muster.

The healer glanced between the two young Ordonians, and after a moment of deliberation he gave a sigh and said, "I suppose not. Are you at least feeling better, Link?"

"I am," he answered truthfully, "I won't deny that I still feel rather weak on my feet and lightheaded when I stand up, but it's not that bad."

"That is expected," Renado stated as he handed Colin the bowl of pottage, "Your body is still trying to combat the poison, and it would be much simpler for it to do so if you were to rest. But I understand your need for fresh air and conversation. So long as you take it easy and do not leave the village for a while, I will not protest."

Link smiled; he could deal with that compromise, "Thank you."

"I do have another request for you, my boy," Renado began.

"Yes?"

"Go downstairs and have yourself some lunch."

The hero practically leapt from his seat, "You don't have to tell me twice."

The healer laughed at the young man's reaction, but before Link could exit the room he had one final comment, "Do be careful what you say to Ilia, alright? She's a bit… fragile."

Link turned to the older man, a bit confused by his statement, but simply said, "Will do," and proceeded downstairs.

"Link!" Talo called before he could even reach the final step of the staircase, "You're not dead!"

Link laughed, "Of course not," he ruffled the boy's hair, "You didn't get hurt in that mess the other day, right?"

"Me? No way!" he bellowed as he pulled out his wooden sword and began slicing at invisible enemies, "I could've taken them all down by myself!"

Link smiled before heading over to the table where Rusl and Beth sat finishing up their meals.

"Hi, Link!" the young girl chirped.

"Are you feeling better?" Rusl asked.

"I am," Link responded just as Ilia placed a piping hot bowl of vegetable pottage in front of him. "Thank you," he said kindly, but she acted as if she didn't even hear him.

He was about to reach out to her and ask her what was the matter, but Rusl spoke up before he could even flinch, "I have something I'd like to discuss with you, if I may."

Link furrowed his brow, perplexed as to why he would have to _ask_ to speak with him, "Of course. What is it?"

Before responding, Rusl sent the children outside and Ilia headed into her chambers upstairs without a word or even needing the request to do so.

"Well, Renado wanted to be a part of this discussion, but I can always relay it to him la-"

"That won't be necessary," the shaman's deep voice could be heard midway down the stairs. "I am here," he stated as he took a seat with the other men at the circular table.

A knot began to form in Link's stomach; this was seeming like it was going to be a serious conversation, but he had no idea what it could be about.

"Well," Rusl cleared his throat, "With the attack on the village the other day, Renado and I find ourselves rather worried for what may lie in wait."

"Yes," Renado cut in, "I fear that it may happen again. At least now we will be ready and we have allies in the Gorons, but that doesn't ease my apprehension."

"The reason we wanted to speak with you about this, Link, is because I thought perhaps you would know why this sudden attack occurred, or if there is a chance it could happen again," Rusl stated.

Link glanced between the two older men, then down at his uneaten lunch before replying, "My only guess as to why this could've happened is that the forces of evil are… I don't know, getting stronger? Or maybe they're just getting bolder? Maybe they feel like we're weakening and they have the upper hand."

"Could it have to do with the strange, magical barrier surrounding Hyrule Castle? Do you think it could be possible that there is some mass gathering of monsters and the like?" Rusl questioned seriously.

Link was quiet for a brief moment, "I… hadn't thought of that, but that could very well be the case. Do you think Castle Town is in danger?"

Rusl sat up straight, "It could be. I know that Auru and Ashei can hold their own, but I fear what might happen if a formulated attack like the one that happened here happens in Castle Town – there are so many people that injury or death would be simply unavoidable."

Link stood up in a flash, "Then I will go help them."

"No, you won't," Renado said strictly, placing a calm hand on the young man's forearm to ease him back into his seat, "You're still healing, and I will not let you run off and permanently damage both of your arms."

"Renado's right," Rusl agreed, standing up as he proclaimed, "_I_ will leave for Castle Town."

"Rusl, how am I supposed to sit here while you're off fighting?"

"We don't even know if there is a battle being waged at the moment or not. Castle Town may very well still be calm."

"Then why go?" Link asked a bit indignantly.

"To have the peace of mind of knowing for certain, and to warn the rest of the Resistance. Which reminds me… Shad was looking for you. He's been down in the sanctuary's cellar going on about the sky beings and such."

Link nodded, but remained on topic, "So, you're leaving now, I take it?"

Rusl chuckled, "You know me too well, my boy. Yes, yes… I will leave right after I tell Colin farewell."

"Be safe," Link said at last.

"Always."

Rusl was gone within the hour, and after having devoured his lunch, Link set out to find Shad and see how his research was going. He found him just where Rusl had said he would be: in the cellar beneath the sanctuary.

"Oh! Well, hello, Link! You are looking quite better today," Shad greeted, "But, I dare say it is a bit odd to see you without your full hero's garb on, old chap."

Link glanced down at himself and laughed a bit uncomfortably, "Yeah…"

A brief awkward silence was brought to an end by Shad finally saying, "Anyway, I seem to have found myself at a bit of a loss as to my research on the sky beings."

"Oh?" Link asked, urging him to continue.

"After searching this rather dirty and awfully dusty little village up and down, I finally found a clue. Just look at this statue!" he turned, gesturing towards the slab of rock at his side that was carved into the shape of an owl, "It's the same as the one in the books I found concerning the sky beings, also known as the Oocca. Here, look at the belly," he leaned in closer, pointing out some old, worn scripture on the stone to Link, "There's something written here, you see? This, too, was in the literature. It is called Sky Writing, I believe."

Link examined the writing on the statue carefully, but found himself unable to read it, "What does it say?"

"'_Awaken us with the word that breaks the seal_…' That is what it says."

"What does that mean?"

Shad simply shrugged, "I'm afraid I do not know."

Link sighed, feeling stuck. He looked at the statue again, unable to shake the feeling that it could maybe be moved in the same way he could control the stone figures back in the Temple of Time. Realizing there were no other options and no other leads, he decided to give it a shot.

He pulled the rod out of his pack and held it firmly in his left hand, immediately noticing that it suddenly looked much older and rustier than it had before. Shad gazed at him in awe, his jaw dropping as he stared at the contraption in the hero's hands.

"Is that… Is that the rod of the heavens?"

Link furrowed his brow, glancing at it again as if the answer would be written on its handle, "Um, I don't know, I just sort of… found it," he lied – well, it wasn't _entirely_ a lie.

He pointed it towards the statue, but nothing happened. He looked at it confusedly; what could have stopped it from working?

"This has to be a clue to helping us locate the heavens!" Shad exclaimed excitedly.

"I thought so, too… But what did you call it? The '_rod of the heavens_'?"

"Yes. It is in almost every single book and piece of literature ever written about the sky beings. It absolutely _must_ have a key role to play in all of this."

"The question is… how do we fix it?" Link asked, more as a mumble to himself than to Shad.

"That is, indeed, _the_ question, isn't it, old boy? Well, no sense rattling our brains down here. Why don't we go mull about it over some afternoon tea? Hm?"

Link sighed, "Yeah, you're right."

After stuffing the no-longer-functioning rod back into his pouch, he and the scholar made their way back to the inn. The children were still playing outside, protected and watched over by the Gorons. Colin remained in bed and Luda was at his side keeping him company. Ilia was likely in her room and Renado was in the kitchen cleaning up the dishes from lunch.

Shad brewed up some tea to quench their thirst, but Link declined, wanting to focus on one thing and one thing alone. There was no way he was going to make it this far only to be stumped by a silly riddle written on an old statue.

Breaking the silence, Link decided to ask, "So, what do your books say about the rod of the heavens?"

"Many, many things," Shad began after taking a sip from his glass, "They say that the rod was carried by a messenger of the heavens, and that when this person carried the rod, it meant that the royal family needed to communicate with the Oocca. It is said that the rod was handed down from the people of the sky, and it was also known as another name: the Dominion Rod. Now, I'm afraid I do not quite underst-"

"Did you…" a small voice could suddenly be heard from the bottom of the staircase, instantly drawing the two men's attention, "Did you just say… the Dominion Rod?"

It was Ilia who was standing at the base of the stairwell, and she looked puzzled.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I did," Shad replied, "Have you, by chance, heard of it, young miss?"

Ilia reached a hand up and grasped her head, and Link didn't hesitate to rush to her. He placed a gentle hand on top of the one that was rubbing her temple as he said, "What's the matter?"

"I… I've heard that before… I just can't… Ugh! Why can't I remember!" she shouted, getting the attention of the shaman who made his way over to them.

Link tried to soothe her, "It's okay, just take a min-"

She suddenly gasped, "Someone told me about it before! Someone… That person also gave me this!" she exclaimed as she began rummaging through the pouches on her hip until she held out a strange, wooden sculpture.

"That looks like something that would have belonged to the tribe that protected the royal family long ago," Renado explained upon sight of it. He grabbed it with the girl's consent in order to examine it more closely, "Yes… The designs and intricate carvings on this piece look exactly like the art of the ancient tribe."

"Where are they now? If I find them, maybe that will help me regain my memory! I remember being confined with that person that told me about the rod… and that person gave me this statue… But that's all I can remember," Ilia said.

"Their village was in a lonely, forgotten place, but a rockslide occurred there quite a few months back, making the path impassable from what I've heard," Renado described.

Ilia sighed in defeat, retaking the wooden figure and returning it to her pack.

Renado turned to Link, "If that is truly where she was kept, there is not a doubt in my mind there is something there that will trigger her memory. As much as I would like for you to stay and rest, I know I will not be able to keep you from the chance of regaining Ilia's memory, nor would I want to. Just make sure you are doubly careful, alright?"

"But, what about the rockslide?" the hero asked.

"I am sure the Gorons would be happy to help. Those brutes love an opportunity to smash things," he said with a grin.

Link's heart skipped a beat; was he truly hearing this? Were they finally discovering how to return Ilia's memory to her? By the Goddesses… he couldn't get to that village soon enough!

"Right, Gorons, got it! I'll be back!" he yelled hurriedly as he turned for the door, beyond excited to regain his best friend's memory that he was hardly thinking straight.

"Link," Renado called before he could make it to the exit.

He whirled around, "What?"

"I haven't even told you where it is."

"Oh," he chuckled, "Right. Where is it?"

"It is along a path on the far side of the Bridge of Eldin that leads to Lanayru Province."

He nodded, memorizing the location out loud saying, "Bridge of Eldin, Lanayru, okay! Thanks!" and then heading for the door once again.

"Link," Renado called again just before he could grasp the handle, a hint of humor in his tone this time.

"What?" Link asked, turning on his heel.

"You should probably get dressed. For Din's sake, my son, you do not even have shoes on."

Link looked down at himself, laughing awkwardly as he said, "I should… probably get my sword as well," he concluded embarrassingly.

Renado laughed, finding it simply adorable how much the prospect of recovering Ilia's memory turned his usually calm and collected demeanor into one of chaos and confusion. "That you should," he said with a smirk.

The hero darted up the stairs like mad, throwing on his chainmail and tunic as if he was in a race for his life. He strapped on his boots, his gloves, and his bracer in a whirlwind. He put on his green cap and grabbed his sword and shield, deciding to fasten them on as he went in order to go that much faster.

His head was still a bit woozy from the poison and his limbs felt heavier than usual, but it was easily pushed aside as his mind focused solely on the task at hand.

As he emerged outside, he happened to come across the biggest, toughest looking Goron of them all standing beside the bomb shop: Darbus. He asked him if he would be so kind as to help him break up the massive pile of rocks, and the enormous Goron was so happy to help (or perhaps he was just excited to get to smash things) that he took off before Link could even finish his sentence.

They both were able to locate the place with ease – the giant mound of broken up rocks being a dead giveaway even from a great distance. The hero waited rather impatiently as Darbus smashed all the boulders into tiny pebbles, and he thanked the Goron endlessly when they parted ways.

He stepped into the forgotten village apprehensively, yet with an untamable excitement at the same time. His adrenaline was pumping; he was _so_ ready to have his best friend back, and he wouldn't hesitate to end whatever foul beast got in his way in doing so.

The town was even dustier than Kakariko, and it felt so completely and utterly _abandoned_. Tumbleweeds rolled by, the buildings were old and decrepit, held together by stray planks of wood in skewed directions, and the farther in he ventured, he began to spot countless Bulblins perched in various locations.

As he observed the stupid devils from afar, he began involuntarily reminding himself of all the horrible things that had happened to him and his loved ones at their hands. _They_ were the reason Ilia and the kids were taken from Ordon in the first place. _They_ were the reason the children haven't been able to see their parents in nearly a year. _They_ were the reason Colin got taken a second time from Kakariko. _They_ were the reason he had suffered countless arrow wounds and immeasurable pain from each fired shot. _They_ were the reason Colin got hurt when the village was attacked. _They_ were the reason Ilia couldn't remember who he was.

He gritted his teeth, quickly growing angrier and angrier as he thought of all the hardship they've all had to endure because of this filthy rabble.

He also couldn't help but think about what these creatures might have done to Ilia when she was kidnapped and held here. Imagining her hurting, alone, and scared with these foul beasts tormenting her... it made him so _furious_; he couldn't even picture it in his mind without his heartbeat rising and his rage intensifying.

He would make them pay.

He pulled out his bow and ran his fingers along the feathery end of the arrow as he decided which of the ruthless fiends he would end first. He stood straight, pulled the bowstring back, and impaled a far monster in the chest. He watched as it tumbled from its post, alerting all of the other Bulblins of his presence. They all turned to see what had killed their comrade, screeching amongst themselves as they prepared to assault the intruder.

The ones on the ground began running toward him while those on the rooftops and scaffoldings prepared their own projectiles. His signature, crooked smirk danced across his lips as he pulled out another arrow and whispered, "This should be easy."

He let an arrow fly, quickly followed by a second, exterminating two Bulblins on the far end of the village. He held onto the bow with his right hand, using his left to grab the hilt of his blade and cut down the oncoming attackers. He sliced one right down the middle, and as the second one approached, he stabbed it directly in the chest, just a hair off center.

He had come to learn by now that Bulblins' hearts resided more so on the right side of their chests, giving it a quick, clean death. He really hated having to listen to their squeals as they were dying, anyway – it was a sound he had heard far too much of in his time as the hero thus far.

He kicked the lifeless body off of the steel of his sword just before whirling around at the sound of another behind him. He cut through its neck and it fell to the ground gurgling and sputtering. Wrapping both hands around the hilt, he plunged the Master Sword downwards and through the body of the dying Bulblin on the dirt, finishing it off.

He could hear the familiar sound of knocking bowstrings, and he turned around just in time to see a projectile heading straight for him. He quickly dodged it, the wind from the weapon rushing just past his ear and kicking up his sandy blond hair. He sheathed his blade, grabbed another arrow, and let it fly.

Another down.

He made his way into the center of the town, firing down Bulblins as he went. He didn't stop to concentrate, didn't stand still to aim; to someone watching, it would have seemed as if he was just taking a leisurely stroll through the village, taking down the trolls as if they were nothing but incessant, mindless gnats. Only once or twice did his aim miss, but he made up for it by firing in rapid succession, not allowing the fiend even a second to ready its own weapon.

One of the monsters had tried to sneak up on him, and was actually quite successful. It leapt up onto the hero's back from behind, wrapping its scrawny arms around his neck. It was choking him, but Link was at _least_ twice as strong. He reached up and grabbed the Bulblin by the back of its head and threw it to the ground in front of him. He readied his bow and pointed the tip just above the Bulblin's face, exactly like one of the fiends had done to him back when he was escorting Ilia to Kakariko after he had been shot in the chest.

He pictured his best friend, lying in this village crying and terrified, and it only fueled his actions farther.

He looked down at the beast's still-fighting expression and released the bowstring.

He heard another coming from behind. He grasped the shaft of the arrow that was sticking out of the last Bulblin's skull, yanked it free, turned around and ducked under a swinging club, and stabbed the broken arrow into the ogre's chest.

He spun around on his heel, ready for whatever was coming at him next. He saw something he did not expect, and reacted just barely too slow. An arrow was coming straight towards him and he dodged to the side by a half of a millisecond too late. The arrowhead sliced open the hero's left cheek, but it continued past him; he was at least quick enough to prevent getting impaled for the Din-knows-how-many-th time.

This time, he didn't shoot directly at the Bulblin, but he, instead, aimed at a red barrel that sat precariously between three of the stupid creatures. The arrow planted into the wood dead center, and only seconds later it created a massive explosion that took those three devils out with it.

A screech suddenly came from his side, and he turned to see a large, metal cleaver coming straight towards his head. He hefted up the Master Sword to bear and easily overpowered the small demon. He circled his blade around, dropping the monster's guard as he grasped the sides of the enemy's head and bashed it against his own, rendering the Bulblin unstable. As it staggered back, Link shoved it by the shoulders through a nearby window, shattering the glass into tiny pieces.

Another troll suddenly began running straight towards the hero, screeching and wailing as it did so. Link waited patiently and stood completely still, and just when the creature was an arm's length away, he raised his bow, pointed the arrow at the fiend's pounding heart, and released, sending the Bulblin flying back before it even had a chance to strike.

"Who else!" he screamed as he turned around, looking for any other foes that should oppose him.

"I think you exterminated the entire race of Bulblins," Midna said sarcastically as she revealed herself, "I mean, for Din's sake, Link… you went a little crazy there, wouldn't you say?"

Link breathed, sheathing his sword and stowing his bow and quiver, "I just… I couldn't help but think about what these monsters have done to all of us in the past, and what they might have done to Ilia when she was here… and it made me _so angry_."

Midna raised her hands in defense, "Well, hey, I'm not complaining. I love to watch you fight when you've got something to fight for."

He raised an eyebrow, "Really? Why?"

She shrugged, "I don't know… You just get so intense and destroy everything in your path and it's so insane to watch how skilled you've become. Just, next time make sure you let me know before you plan on going crazy like that again so I can get a snack or something while I watch, deal?"

Link laughed, "Deal."

* * *

_**A hero's journey is littered with puzzles, only some hold a deeper meaning than others.**_


	47. Darkest Before the Dawn

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 4/16/14 – Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 47: Darkest Before the Dawn

**.:.**

The quiet creaking of strained hinges could just barely be heard over the breeze that whisked through the ghost town. Link looked up at the sudden noise and saw an elderly looking woman, standing only half as tall as he, peering apprehensively from the opening of the only stable building in this desolate valley.

"The beasts are gone… Is someone there?" she called nervously.

Link stepped into her line of sight, but before he could introduce himself she said, "Are you… the savior?"

He furrowed his brow, "I - uh, what?"

"It _is_ you! The savior! You're Link, aren't you?"

"I am," he said simply, but no less confusedly.

She grinned widely before saying, "Ah, my manners… My name is Impaz. I'm the last resident of this poor village. My name comes from the great one who built this village so long ago. This village was once the secret home of a proud tribe who served the royal family… But it fell into decline, and became infested with dangerous beasts. It's become an awful place…"

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Link spoke up, "But how did you know my name?"

"There was a lovely girl trapped here with me that would often cheer me up by saying that you would come to help."

Link hung his head in shame; she had confidence in him coming to rescue her, but he never did. It made him so furious at himself to know that she had been waiting for him and he never came.

"So then, you saved that nice girl?"

Link wasn't sure what to say. Sure, she was safe from harm, but she couldn't remember anything of her past or her life. Can you be considered safe if you are no longer yourself?

"I…" he stammered a bit, but the nervous look on the mature woman's features told him he needed to tell her all was well despite whatever the truth might be, "Yes, she's safe."

Impaz gave a sigh in relief, "That is wonderful to hear."

Link smiled; if only he was so easily convinced.

The old woman then pulled a trinket out of her pocket and extended it to the hero, "She always kept this close to her heart, but as she was escaping, she left it behind by mistake. Would you return it to her? I'm sure it was very dear to her."

Link nodded, taking the charm in his hands and examining it. It was shaped like a horseshoe with various holes seemingly for blowing into like an instrument, and it was attached to a long string as if it was meant to be worn around the neck. He had never seen her with this, so he wasn't entirely sure of its importance to her, but if this woman said that she had it then he would gladly return it to her.

"She always kept me hopeful when she was here, and it was her idea to finally escape from this place. She wanted nothing more than to help me out as well, and I think it broke her heart when I told her that I could not leave."

Link furrowed his brow in confusion, and Impaz quickly picked up on it and added, "By royal order, I can't leave this place until a certain person arrives, no matter what terrible fate is visited upon it. But I helped that sweet girl to escape as best as these old bones would allow."

"How was it she escaped?" Link asked, his curiosity piqued.

"We waited until the beasts were feasting and we snuck behind the buildings where they couldn't see us, but by the time we reached the last rickety old store at the end they spotted us. I told her to run for it, and she strongly protested, but I insisted I stay behind and distract them while she made her escape. I managed to only grab the attention of a few of the nasty monsters; the rest ran after her like she was their next meal."

She frowned as she recalled the event and went on, "Just as she was entering the tunnel that leads outside, the Bulblins began swinging their clubs aimlessly in an attempt to hit her like the stupid creatures they are. Instead, they managed to hit the hard rock around them multiple times, cracking it and causing it to crumble. The last thing I saw was her bare feet on the dirt as huge boulders and rocks collapsed behind her. I couldn't see if they buried her or not, so I'm sure you can imagine how troubled I've been all this time thinking she was killed, but to hear that she is well from you puts my heart at ease."

That must have been how she lost her memory, Link realized; she must have been hit in the head by a falling rock. But then, there was the question of how Ilia got to Castle Town. No matter; as long as she was well and able to one day regain her memory, the minor details weren't important – there would be time to fill in the blanks later.

"That sweet girl… She worried about this old woman even as I helped her to escape from here," she paused, "Oh, but listen to me blather on! I'm sure you have more important things to see to than listening to an old biddy's stories! Make sure you return that charm to that lovely young girl, alright?"

Link nodded, and he was so eager to get back to Ilia that he almost forgot about the other reason he came here. Remembering the business side of it, he stopped her just as she was about to retreat back into her home by calling out, "Wait."

She turned back around.

"I actually have a question for you."

"You do? Well then, let's hear it," she said with a smile.

"I was told you might know something about an old relic known as the Dominion Rod, and I was hoping you could help me."

The old woman looked surprised, "Oh?"

Link reached into his pouch and pulled out the strange contraption, the sight of it instantaneously causing Impaz to gasp in shock and say, "Could it really be?"

He extended it towards her to give her a better look. She took it in her small, wrinkled hands and examined it closely. After a moment, she looked back up at the hero wide-eyed and mumbled, "Could you truly be the messenger of the heavens?"

"Well," the hero shrugged, "I don't know about _that_, but-"

She grinned, overcome with joy, "You are! This is the Dominion Rod, and it is only to be carried by the messenger of the heavens, which is you!" she bellowed before handing it back to him, "I have been waiting in this old, forgotten place for many years for you to come. From generation to generation, my ancestors guarded the book that, by royal decree, was to be given to the messenger of the heavens when he came with the Dominion Rod. Wait here."

She then hobbled back into her decrepit home, and only a moment later she returned with a large, leather-bound volume, "This book is written in the ancient language of Sky Writing… Can you read it?"

"No, but I have a friend who can."

She smiled again, "Yes… I was meant to pass on this ancient book of the heavens to you. I am so glad to have met that young girl, and you, as well. Here, take it," she stated as she held it out to him.

He took the book in his grasp and ran a hand over the dusty cover. He could not decipher the title, but he was eager to have Shad read it.

"Thank you," Link said sincerely.

Impaz shook her head, "No, thank _you_, and tell that lovely girl the same. Please, take care of yourself."

With a grateful nod and a warm smile, the hero took off like lightning. He wasn't able to locate any of the horseshoe grass that Epona liked, so it was up to his feet to get him back to the village as quickly as possible. His legs were pumping, his heart was pounding; he was running so fast that an onlooker might have thought he was being chased by a terrifying demon. He raced over the bridge of Eldin and through Hyrule's western-most field, taking down stray Bulblins on their stupid pigs as he went.

He darted through the northern entrance of Kakariko Village and bounded up the small, exterior stairs that led into the Elde Inn. He threw open the door and stood over the threshold a moment to catch his breath.

"Goodness, dear boy, you nearly gave us all a heart attack," Renado declared sternly.

Link leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees as he panted for air.

After giving him a minute, Shad spoke up, "Were you able to find anything in the secluded village, old chap?"

Link stood up straight, reaching into his pack as he locked eyes with Ilia and made his way over to her. He uttered not a sound; he simply pulled out her charm and held it in his open palm in front of her.

Ilia looked down at the trinket in his hands, a look of pure bewilderment and shock on her features. The room was completely silent, save for the still-heavy breathing of the hero. No one said a word; everyone awaited the young woman's reaction, eager to know if this was finally the key to unlocking her forgotten past.

Overwhelmed, Ilia suddenly crumpled to her knees and buried her face in her hands. Link knelt down in front of her, concerned by her emotional response.

"What's wrong?" he asked calmly, noticing she was crying.

"I…" she sobbed, "I remember…"

"What do you remember?" Link encouraged.

In between sniffles, she managed, "Everything."

In that moment, it was as if a massive weight was lifted from Link's shoulders, or maybe it was from everyone's. He could feel the tension and anxiety in the room disappear even without looking over his shoulder at the others. Renado heaved a sigh in relief and gave a delighted smile, glancing between Shad and the children in turn, each of them wearing the most joyful expressions he had seen on them yet.

He knew the kids would want to see Ilia and rejoice with her, but he also knew that it was important for Ilia and Link to have this moment alone. He motioned noiselessly at the scholar to head out and he did just that, Renado following soon after with the children in tow, leaving the two friends by themselves.

Link didn't say a word; he didn't want to push her. He waited before her patiently, giving her the time she needed – he knew she would start talking when she was ready.

"I… I'm so sorry," she whimpered.

Link furrowed his brow, "You have nothing to apologize for."

Her weeping didn't ease up.

"Why are you crying?" he questioned gently, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She dropped her hands into her lap and said, "Everything that's happened… All the times you were hurt… All the things I said, didn't say, did, didn't do… I can't even imagine how much I hurt you, how much I hurt everyone!"

Link took the hand that had been on her shoulder and placed it under her chin, lifting her gaze up to meet his before saying, "It isn't your fault."

They simply stared into one another's eyes in silence for an amount of time unknown to either of them. Her beautiful, jade eyes had life in them again, something that they had been devoid of for so long. Her spirit was back in them, her essence, her very _being_ – she was back, and Link couldn't be happier.

She gazed back into his welcoming, cerulean irises and felt an overpowering surge of emotions. All at once she felt at home, she felt warm and comfortable, and she felt like she _belonged_. She had felt so out of place and completely lost in her own skin for such a long time that she had almost given up all hope in ever feeling alive again.

"Link…" she whispered; his name had so much meaning now. Before, she associated the name with nothing more than a kind-hearted stranger that helped escort her to the village. Now, though, she said his name and remembered him for everything that he was to her growing up: a neighbor, a protector, a best friend, a companion, and so much more.

Hearing her say his name was like music to his ears. She said it differently now, like she had when they were younger. She said it with feeling, like she truly knew the man behind the name and that he was someone that was very dear to her. Over the last few months, she said his name without any feeling, sounding almost flat, as if it held no meaning to her whatsoever. To hear her call for him in such a way now… it made his heart leap for joy inside his chest.

He smiled at her, but remained silent.

She closed her eyes after having calmed down a bit, and her mind was piecing her life back together like a film behind her lids, "I remember when we were young, you were always beside me… The scent of hay, the sounds of goats bleating and horses whinnying… I remember our village, our friends and our families… I remember the day you were leaving for Hyrule, and I remember being taken…"

Link frowned, knowing that this was where the unhappy memories would start flooding in.

"I remember being scared and confused and wondering where the kids were taken… I remember waking up with an old woman telling me she was going to help me… She helped me to escape, and a falling rock hit me in the head… I remember waking up in a strange place with a mean, angry doctor taking me to the bar where I met Telma…"

She forced her eyes shut tighter, as if recalling certain aspects were painful, "I remember finding a sick Zora boy and you escorting us here… I remember seeing you with an arrow in your chest… I remember when you came back after having been stung by a jellyfish, and I remember being mad at you for being reckless… I remember seeing you one night covered in blood and sand, and the next morning I yelled at you for getting hurt and I remember saying something so hurtful when you tried to grab my hand… I said, '_I don't even know you_.'"

She hung her head, the tears flowing like rivers down her cheeks again. Link sighed and hung his head just the same, the memory of her treating him like a stranger still very fresh in his mind and he could easily recall how badly it had hurt.

She took a minute to collect herself and continued, "After that, I remember seeing you fall off Epona after having been gone for a week or more, and I remember feeling so afraid, but I couldn't understand why… I remember telling myself that I was stupid for having such strong feelings for a man I didn't even know. I said you were foolish that day to Renado and Rusl… I told them I thought you were being too careless and getting yourself hurt for no good reason," she then mustered a slight laugh, "Rusl didn't hesitate to set me straight on that one."

"Ilia, you shouldn't feel bad about this. None of it is your fau-"

He stopped when she raised a hand to silence him, "Let me finish, please… I need to get it all out."

He nodded a bit forlornly, but said, "Of course."

"I remember the sadness on everyone's faces nearly every time I spoke, and I remember thinking it was simply because they didn't like me… I remember everyone worrying over you when you were gone, and in the beginning, I could only think about how stupid you were for getting yourself hurt…" she sobbed, "I can't believe I've made everyone so upset over me for so long… I can't believe I've been so worthless during all this hardship… I could've been helping all this time! I could've helped you when you were hurt… instead I just sat there casting judgment and not understanding a thing. I'm so… I'm so angry!"

She got to her feet in a fuss, throwing her hands down in fury. Link stood after her and trying to soothe her, he said, "It's over now."

She looked at him with watery eyes, "Is it _really_? Can I take back all the pain I've caused everyone all this time? Can I make everyone forget all the hurtful things I've said?"

"No," Link said simply.

"Then how is it really over? I will never be able to forget it!"

"Isn't that what you've wanted all along? What we've all wanted? For you to not be able to forget?" he asked with a slight smile.

Ilia was speechless at the wise comparison, "Well, yes, but-"

He grasped her hands, holding her charm in between their palms, "Then be glad that the worst of it is over. I won't lie to you and say that it didn't hurt me or that it was easy. It was painful and living without you in my life was miserable. But… it's over now. It's in the past."

Ilia could contain herself no longer. She leapt forward and wrapped her arms around the hero's neck, pulling him in for a tight embrace. He returned the gesture, grabbing her around the waist and resting his head against hers. She nestled into the crook of his neck, taking in his familiar scent and relishing in the feeling of his warm body against hers.

"I've missed you, Ilia… so much," he whispered into her ear.

"I've missed you, too," she sobbed, the words barely audible between her ragged breaths.

The feeling that swept over them both was nearly impossible to pin into words. Even though they had seen each other quite often over the past few months, it was as if they were reuniting now after being separated an extended amount of time. For when Ilia had no memories, there was no Ilia. She simply wasn't herself, and therefore, she was lost to him, as he was to her.

They remained in each other's arms for a countless number of heartbeats before they finally stepped back. Link held the trinket out to her, and with a sniffle she looked down at it. She ran her hand along it, remembering the day in which she had crafted it.

"I made this the day before it all happened. It was a gift, and I meant to give it to you before you left on your journey. If you blow into it, it should play the song Epona likes," she explained, glancing back up at him.

She then closed his fingers over the top of the charm as she said with a smile, "Please, Link, take it."

He looked down at the bauble in his hands. Knowing now what a significance it held, it was so much more special. She made this with her own two hands with him in mind, and he couldn't be more grateful.

He held it close to his heart and said, "Thank you."

Ilia smiled as she watched him put it on over his head, but then her peripherals caught sight of something in the window. She looked behind Link through the glass beside the door, and she spotted Colin, Beth, Malo, and Talo all peeking inside at them.

"I think we're being watched," she giggled.

Link followed her line of sight and spotted the kids, all of which ducked down immediately, hoping that they weren't caught. He couldn't help but laugh.

He turned back towards Ilia, and to his surprise she looked rather grim.

"What is it?" he asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Oh, nothing," she shook her head, "I'm just… worried."

"Worried? About what?"

She looked back at him silently for a moment, collecting her thoughts before replying simply, "You."

He opened his mouth to respond, but she stopped him.

"Now that I can comprehend everything you've done and everything you've been through… How can I not be worried? I don't even fully understand what it is you still have to do."

Link sighed, unsure of how to explain it to her – if he was even ready to do so, "I think, for now, all you need to know is that there's a great evil cloaking our land, and that it is up to me to bring it to an end."

"That's all I need to know?"

"For now, yes."

Ilia scoffed, "Link, please, think about how you'd feel if you were in my place! I can't just sit around this village waiting for you to return, unsure if you even will or not! I don't want to feel all alone again… Don't you think I at least deserve to know what's exactly going on?"

He heaved another sigh, knowing that she was right but still not ready to yield, "Yes, you do, but… I don't completely understand it myself, and I'd rather you not waste your days worrying over me." He closed the gap between them and placed a gloved hand on her cheek, "Just take my word that I will explain it all when we're both ready to handle it, and I will always return to you – always. I could never leave you all alone."

Her cheeks flushed a deep red and she averted his gaze. He lowered his hand from her face, but before it could return to his side, she grasped it in her own, looking back up at him.

"How did I get so lucky to have you as a best friend?" she asked with a smile, "You waited for me… You stayed and were patient even when I wasn't myself. I don't think I could have done that if you were the one that lost your memory. If you couldn't remember me… if you called me a stranger to my face… it would break my heart."

Link smiled in return, using his free hand to wipe away a stray tear on her porcelain skin, "I knew that I wouldn't stop until I found the key to return your memory. I won't deny that I lost hope quite a few times along the way, but I never gave up. I don't doubt that you would do the same for me. I know you would."

She giggled a bit, glancing down at their clasped hands and then looking back at him. She stared into his eyes, and without a moment of hesitation, she said, "I love you."

Link's voice locked up inside his throat. She loved him… Even though it was the second time hearing it, it didn't surprise him any less. He had been thinking about the last time he heard her say those words for months, and that whole time he had been cursing himself for saying not a single thing in response. But now, as the opportunity to amend his past mistake arose, he found himself unable to find the words.

"I…" he cleared his throat, "I-"

"Link!" a sudden voice called from the door, "Link!"

The two turned to face Colin standing over the threshold as he yelled, "Hurry outside! Epona's all frazzled and Mister Renado can't get her to calm down!"

Ilia pushed her way past Link and Colin and rushed through the door and into the warm air outdoors. She ran up to Epona who was rearing up and whinnying, obviously distressed by something. She moved Renado out of the way and grabbed the reigns, reaching her other hand out to stroke her neck and whispering gently to her all the while.

Link and Colin followed close behind; Colin stayed back while Link approached the two girls. By the time he reached out to pet Epona's long snout, she was already calmed. He couldn't help but smile as he watched Ilia rest her head against the horse's, her eyes closed and her fingers intertwined in the mare's mane. This was the girl he had been missing. This was the girl he…

"Epona…" she whispered, "Do you forgive me for forgetting you?" she asked quietly as she handed the girl an apple she had in the pack on her hip.

Epona whinnied happily, and Ilia giggled and said, "I'm glad."

She was drawn from the moment when she felt a sudden, light tugging on her blouse from behind. She turned around to see Colin standing before her looking a bit nervous.

He said timidly, "Um, Ilia, do you… do you remember me?"

Ilia almost started crying all over again, but she held it back. "Yes, Colin," she nodded as she knelt down to be at his level, "I'm so sorry I ever forgot."

Colin grinned from ear to ear and didn't hesitate to act on his excitement. He leapt into her arms, practically knocking her over for a hug. She laughed and hugged him back, Beth and Talo soon joining in on the embrace as well.

"I've missed you so much!" Beth cried.

"I missed you more than Beth did!" Talo shouted.

"He just missed you cooking his favorite meal," Malo added, watching from a few feet away.

"N-No! That's not so!"

Ilia laughed, "Malo, get in here and give me a hug!"

Malo frowned and gave a sigh, "Fine," he muttered, easily disguising the fact that he, too, was excited to have Ilia back.

Link looked on with a smile – it was nice to have a day filled with joy abundant when so often his days were filled with hardship and turmoil. The feeling of knowing his friend was back… there simply weren't words to justify it.

After a long reunion with the children, Ilia stood and faced the shaman. She had a tear in her eye as she said, "Thank you so much, Mister Renado."

He smiled and raised a hand, dismissing the thanks, "You are very welcome, but it is not necessary. It has been a pleasu- _oof_!" he exclaimed as Ilia lunged in for a tight embrace, squeezing him hard around the waist. He gave a chuckle after a moment of composing himself and returned the gesture.

She pulled away and looked up at him as he tried again, "It has been a pleasure, and will continue to be, I'm sure."

She smiled at him before turning back toward Link and his beloved steed. Curious, she asked to no one in particular as she pet Epona's muzzle, "What was it that spooked her?"

"I'm not sure," Renado answered, "I was simply standing, watching the children play, when she suddenly began to act frantic."

"Strange," Ilia stated.

"I think it's just 'cause she knew Ilia was back and she wanted her attention!" Beth suggested spiritedly.

Ilia giggled, "Maybe."

"YOU'RE IT!" Talo screamed as he ran by Beth, smacking her on the shoulder as he darted past.

"Hey! That's not fair! I was talking to the grown-ups!" she screeched as she gave the young boy chase, Colin and Luda soon joining in on the game as Malo retreated back to his shop.

Renado headed back towards the inn, taking rest in a chair on the porch as he watched over the children at play.

Ilia turned back towards Link who was fidgeting with the newly acquired charm around his neck.

"You don't have to wear it if it will be in the way," she said genuinely, not wanting him to feel obligated if it was truly a burden.

He glanced up at her, confused by her sudden words, "No, it's not in the way at all," he said as he looked back down at the trinket lying against his chest, "I don't think I'll ever want to take it off," he smiled.

She grinned in return, "I just hope it works."

"Well, let's find out," he said with a smirk, taking a few good steps away from his four-legged companion.

Ilia stood beside him as he lifted the wooden instrument to his lips, and she was reminded of how many times she had watched him make music on the blades of grass back home when they were younger. She smiled, overjoyed at the simple fact of being able to recall such a memory.

That was when she remembered exactly what it was she saw last time she watched him play Epona's song; she saw three glowing triangles on his hand. She looked to his hand just then and saw the very same mark shining through his glove as he held her charm to his mouth and played the three-note song with ease.

Epona distanced the small gap between them in a flurry, nuzzling Link in the chest like she often did when she was happy. He gave a wide grin and a hearty laugh, petting her snout as he handed her a treat from his pack and told her what a good girl she was.

"What is that on your hand?" Ilia asked bluntly, bringing the moment to an abrupt halt.

He looked to her, a bit taken aback, and took a second to calm Epona down before replying honestly, "It's the Triforce."

Ilia grabbed his left hand and held it closer to her in order to better examine the triangle, "It can't be… Then that means…?"

He took his hand back gently as he said, "I told you I would tell you about all of this another time. Please, just… let it be for now, alright?"

She sighed, giving in reluctantly with a nod. She changed the subject, "I guess you have things you have to see to, right? I suppose… I should write a letter to my father."

Link nodded, "He's been terribly worried."

She turned to head back into the inn, but she gave one last glance over her shoulder and she said, "Let me know before you take off again, okay? You better not leave without saying goodbye."

"You'll be the first one to know."

She gave a weak smile just before disappearing into the rundown hotel.

Link heaved a sigh, removing his cap and running his hand through his sandy blond hair as he tried to process everything that had just happened. Ilia got her memory back, she said she loved him again, and no doubt she was upset with him for not telling her the whole truth. He couldn't stand for her to be even the tiniest bit angry with him, but he knew it was better for her to not know the whole story just yet – and he wasn't entirely lying when he said he didn't fully understand it yet himself.

He placed his signature, green hat back on top of his head as he opened the door to the sanctuary. Standing in front of the cellar door was another he had been eager to see.

"Well, hello again, old boy! Wonderful to have that dear girl's memory back, isn't it?" he said in a chipper tone.

"Yes, very."

"Yes, yes, beautiful moment and all that, but that aside… Have you got any news for me regarding the Dominion Rod?"

"Well, when I went to that abandoned village, I met an old woman who addressed me as the '_messenger to the heavens_,' and she gave me this after I showed her the rod," Link explained, taking out the book from his knapsack as he finished.

Shad hastily took it in his grasp and began flipping through the pages in an enthusiastic fluster, "Why, this… this is Sky Writing!" His eyes were wide as saucers as his pupils rapidly scanned over the words upon the parchment in his hands.

He mumbled various sounds aloud that seemed like nothing more than gibberish to Link, until he came across a page in which he whispered nervously, "You don't suppose this could be the word that breaks the seal…"

He looked to Link for an answer in which he simply shrugged and motioned for him to give it a shot. The young scholar cleared his throat and began speaking in a language the hero had never heard before. He rang loud a long chant, staring down the statue in hopes that something would happen, but nothing did. He let out a heavy sigh in defeat and dropped his hands at his sides.

"I was so sure this would work," Shad mumbled before turning to Link, "What do you propose we do now?"

A thought suddenly formed in the young Hylian's mind, and since it was the only idea either of them had at the moment, he decided to act on it. He pulled the strange contraption he had retrieved from the Temple of Time out of his pouch and held it out.

"Say it again."

Shad looked perplexed, "But the chant is said to work on the statue, not the rod."

"It couldn't hurt to try."

"Well," the red-haired man began as he pushed his glasses up along the bridge of his nose, "You are right about that."

Focusing this time on the ancient relic in Link's grasp, Shad repeated the word of the sky beings. Upon completion, he gasped when he noticed the rod start to glow. When the light subsided, it no longer appeared to be years old, but instead, it looked as if it was brand new. Link held it up, slightly surprised that it worked.

"This is amazing! Simply amazing! But…" his smile quickly dissipated, "I'm afraid I'm not entirely sure what the Dominion Rod has to do with the statue."

Link smirked crookedly, walking towards the stone owl as he said, "I can help with that part."

He pointed the rod towards the statue, and just as it had done previously, a brightly glowing ball of energy formed on its tip. He flicked it towards the figure and it illuminated its center, bringing it to life. Link took a few steps back, and the owl followed suit, opening up the hallway it was concealing.

The hero stuffed the Dominion Rod back into his pack once its job was complete and turned around to see a completely dumbfounded Shad standing there with his jaw practically grazing the dirt.

"How in blazes… Link! You're a bloody genius! I don't know how in the world you knew that would work, but I commend you! Simply amazing!" he declared excitedly as he stepped into the tunnel the statue was previously guarding.

"Just a hunch, I guess," Link fibbed, following behind the scholar.

"A marvelous hunch at that, old chap. What do you suppose is down here?" he asked; he just couldn't find out soon enough.

"No idea," the hero answered honestly as they continued through the dark, underground passageway.

It didn't take long for them to emerge in a massive, open area with tree roots and the dim sunlight of dusk pouring in from the ceiling. Standing in the center of the large chamber was a huge, metal apparatus. It looked ancient, as if it hadn't been used for centuries. Moss and spider webs clung to it, revealing that it had, indeed, remained in this hole for quite some time.

Shad gasped upon sight of it, stepping in front of Link to get a better view as he stated in awe, "Spectacular! This must be the Sky Cannon I read about in my books!"

"What is it supposed to do?" Link questioned.

"I'm afraid I'm not quite sure. None of the texts mentioned its exact purpose."

"Hm," Link hummed, trying to think.

They wasted away quite a few minutes in silence as the two young men tried to rack their brains for a solution. When Shad could not come up with any ideas, he suggested, "Why don't we head back to the inn, old boy? It is getting quite dark and perhaps we could think better after having a good night's rest."

"You go ahead, Shad. I'm going to stay here," Link said simply, not taking his eyes off the strange mechanism.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," he nodded, "I'll come later."

"Have it your way, old chap. Just don't drive yourself mad over it," Shad added with a chuckle as he took his leave.

Waiting a few moments to make sure the young man with glasses was good and gone, Midna said, "Finally," as she came forth from the shadows.

Link glanced over at her as she hovered beside him.

"So," she began, "The '_Sky Cannon_,' huh?"

"So he says," Link replied.

"Interesting," Midna said, floating to the top of the dead machine.

"Do you have any ideas as to what to do with it?"

"Well, _maybe_… But first, I have a question for you."

His eyes narrowed in nervous curiosity, "What?"

"That girl, Ilia… Do you love her?"

"I… Well… Wait, why are you asking?"

"Because I wanna know. She told you she loved you today and you didn't say anything, but I _know_ I saw your cheeks get all red," she teased with a giggle.

"No, I just- Well, that's because- Ugh! We're not talking about this right now! We're talking about the cannon!"

She grabbed at her sides as she laughed and rolled around in midair, "You're red again!"

"Am not," he muttered as he looked away from her in embarrassment.

"Oh, come on, don't be like that! I'm only having a bit of fun."

"At my expense."

"Well, yeah, of course it's at _your_ expense. As if you have anything you can make fun of _me_ for!"

Link was quiet then, trying to think of anything at all he could blackmail her with. When he found himself coming up blank, he proclaimed, "Well, that's not fair at all! You know all about my life and all of my secrets, but I know none of yours."

"And I plan to keep it that way!" she stated plainly, folding her arms over her chest.

The hero gave her a look, "What kind of friend keeps secrets?"

"The kind that has a past she'd rather not divulge just yet. I told you I'd tell you another time. Remember how you kept telling Ilia you would tell her all about your hero business another day earlier? Well, same situation. I'll tell you when we're both ready. Deal?"

He sighed in defeat, "Fine, deal."

Midna smirked, "More time for me to tease you!" she giggled.

Link chuckled a bit as well, "Yeah, yeah. Are you going to tell me your idea about this cannon or not?"

"Since you were such a good sport, sure! My idea is that we take this to that weird guy back at Lake Hylia. You know, that one that sent you flying in a cannon to the desert. Maybe he'll know how to fix it."

Link smiled at her brilliance, "That's a great idea. But, can we get it there?"

Midna scoffed, "Seriously? Of course we can! Don't you remember that giant lava rock I dropped into the pool at Zora's Domain?"

The hero smirked, "Let's go then."

"Wait, didn't you tell Ilia you would let her know before you left? Wouldn't want her mad at you already, would you?"

Link sighed, having forgotten about it, "We'll be back before the sun rises – she won't even know I'm gone."

The imp shrugged, "If you say so."

After turning the hero into a wolf, Midna formed her strong, orange hair into a hand and lifted the massive cannon with her dark magic. It soared into thousands of black particles and entered the nearest portal, where she and her companion followed soon after.

Even though it was now dark and night was upon them, the cannon man, Fyer, still stood outside his bizarre shop. He immediately took notice of the large rig standing near his doorstep and quickly moved in to examine it closer. The odd man was intrigued by the device, and offered to help the hero. That was, of course, for a price.

Fyer nearly emptied Link's wallet of rupees, but he promised in only a few days' time that he would have the cannon operational and ready for use. Link handed over the money a bit begrudgingly, feeling slightly ripped off, but it mattered not. Once the arrangements were made, he was quick to return to Kakariko in order to ensure that Ilia would not discover that he had left.

He was happy to see that everyone was fast asleep upon his return, and he didn't waste a single minute crawling into bed himself – for it had been an insanely long day.

And yet, it seemed the days would only get longer from here.

* * *

_**When all seems bleak, the sun rises and shows us that light can shine on even the most grim of circumstances.**_


	48. Too Far

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 4/19/14 – Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 48: Too Far

**.:.**

Even though he had been so exhausted the day prior and had headed to bed immediately after returning to Kakariko, he was not able to find rest – he simply couldn't shut off his brain.

After tossing and turning for what felt like hours, he decided it was futile to continue trying to sleep. He got up, strapped on his effects, and headed outside. He opened the door quietly, the bright rays of the rising sun temporarily blinding him. His eyes took a minute to adjust and he let out a sigh as he looked out upon the calm landscape.

Everything was so quiet as all living things were still fast asleep, their dreams likely coming to a satisfying close. It was strangely peaceful for all the hardship and battles that were being waged in places that couldn't be seen. From this viewpoint, through the eyes of an ordinary person, the blood that has been shed and the heartache that is bountiful can't be seen. From here, everything is serene and there is nothing to want for.

As Link stood there, however, he could see it all. He could see the change in the way the wind rustled through the dry, prickly bushes; the way it roared through the town with an anger it did not have before. He could see the difference in the clouds by how they were sparse and gray; they were not the same puffy, white shapes in the sky that he and Ilia used to gaze up at when they were younger. He could feel the drastic change in climate, while even though summer was, indeed, right around the corner, Hyrule had never seen this warmth in mid-spring; there was even a sharp bitterness to the air that he was sure only he could feel.

It was becoming more and more clear that evil had its clutches on this land, and it was only a matter of time before the malevolence became so strong that everything was crushed within its grasp.

This world and all of its inhabitants were counting on him for survival… That was something that - even after all this time as the hero - he was still unable to swallow.

As his thoughts continued to run rampant of their own accord, he didn't even notice that he had taken a seat on the small porch steps of the Elde Inn. He did his best to push aside the dark, gloomy thoughts of the world's fate, and what ended up making its way into the spotlight of his mind was his best friend, Ilia.

On one hand, he was beyond overjoyed to have her back, but on the same note, he was worried over her telling him that she loved him. He didn't understand why he couldn't say it back – _again_. Didn't he love her back? Well, of course he did, but perhaps it was just that his heart didn't fully comprehend which _kind_ of love it was. He loved her unconditionally as a best friend, a neighbor, and a lifelong companion, but was it a romantic kind of love? That was the question he couldn't find the answer to. At least, not yet.

Then he couldn't help but think about the children, and if he would be putting them in danger by leaving the village so soon. He was sure the Gorons were fully capable of taking care of a few mindless Bulblins, but it simply terrified him to think that the kids would get caught in another skirmish again.

What about Shad? He then wondered, contemplating what he would tell the scholar about the Sky Cannon when he awoke. Surely he would go down into the cellar, see it missing, and wonder what in Hyrule Link had done with it and how. What was he going to say? He couldn't divulge the secret of his shadowy partner to another. Perhaps he would play dumb, pretend as if he last saw it in its original location, and act just as shocked as the young man when he would undoubtedly notice it was gone.

Then there was Rusl and the other members of the Resistance back in Castle Town. He couldn't help but fret over whether or not what they had predicted the other day was truth or simply speculation. Could there truly be forces growing in number behind that mysterious barrier surrounding Hyrule Castle? He didn't want to think about what would happen if the town was under attack, but he knew he had to stick to his own journey and make sure he obtained the final mirror piece with haste.

The final mirror piece… His eyes grew a bit wide as he realized how close he was to the end. It felt like such a long time had passed since it all started, and yet, it still didn't feel like it was already getting so close to the conclusion. He realized then that he most likely felt that way because, in his mind, the end was always so far out of reach – it had always felt like an unachievable goal, something that he would be striving towards for an eternity. Now that it was within his grasp… there simply weren't words.

But then he realized that he still had quite a bit left to do before he could relax, and what was still undone was the most terrifying yet. He had to travel to the heavens, unlock the gateway into the Twilight Realm, take down the one that had usurped the throne in Midna's world, and then there was the matter of the one responsible for centuries of Hyrule's torment… Ganondorf.

Simply hearing that name made a chill run down his spine, and the idea of facing off against the king of evil practically stopped the very beating of his heart. He still wasn't entirely sure he had what it would take to defeat such a wicked force, but he knew he would give it everything he had in him, even if it left him with nothing for himself.

Before he knew it, the sun was much higher in the sky than it was when he first stepped outside and a gentle hand on his shoulder snapped him back to reality.

"Good morning, my boy," Renado greeted, "You're up early; did you sleep well?"

Link turned to him, "I haven't slept."

He took a seat on the steps beside the hero as he said, "Well, why don't you at least have a quick nap? Don't forget that arm of yours is still healing and you need all the rest you can get."

"I'm not really tired," Link said simply.

"Mm," the shaman mumbled, displeased at the young man's response.

"Good morning, Link!" Talo shouted as he and the other children ran past them to go play.

Link smiled when Colin paused to give his big brother a hug before following after the more rambunctious one in the group.

Ilia emerged from the inn soon after with a '_good morning_' of her own. She stood behind the two men with her arms resting atop the banister as she gazed off into the bright blue sky behind Death Mountain.

"Did you get a good night's sleep?" the hero asked, looking over his shoulder at the girl in question.

She smiled, "I did. It may sound silly, but for the first time in a very long time my dreams made sense, and I woke up feeling… _happy_."

Link couldn't contain a smile of his own as he faced forward again, "I'm glad to hear it."

The three then fell silent, listening to the giggles of the children and the whistling of the wind. Link looked down at the wound on his forearm from the spider bite he had acquired some days ago, rubbing at it as it had begun to bother him.

Renado noticed him scratching and grabbed his wrist with a firm shake of his head, "Do not irritate it, it will only make it worse."

Link nodded, rolling his shoulders after a moment of quiet in an attempt to stretch his tired muscles. It, instead, sent a quick bolt of pain through his right arm. He grimaced, but remained silent as he grasped at the sudden sore spot with his other hand.

Renado detected this as well, "The arm that was broken still hurts, am I right?"

Link nodded again, "Yeah, but not all the time, just with certain motions."

The healer grabbed the once-injured arm and poked at it with his fingers a bit, feeling each bone in turn. He then laid the hero's arm back down in his lap and said rather morosely, "Your arm seems to, unfortunately, be permanently damaged."

He furrowed his brow, "What do you mean? I've been using it without too many problems. It hasn't healed by now?"

"You never allowed it to heal properly, Link," Renado stated strictly, "I advised you to wait at least six weeks before using it any further, and, if my memory is correct, I believe you waited a mere two. The break was so severe that it was vital that you refrained from using it, but you went against my wishes, and now, I'm afraid, you will never have full strength back in that arm."

Link sighed and hung his head, feeling embarrassed and ashamed, "I… I guess I just didn't really understand how serious it was. I was impatient and anxious," he scoffed, "I was completely stupid."

Ilia placed a dainty hand on his shoulder as her sweet voice chimed comfortingly, "Don't beat yourself up, Link. You did what you had to do at the time, right?"

"Well, I suppose… but now how am I supposed to-" Link stopped midsentence when Epona suddenly trotted up to them and began neighing and whinnying in a rather frantic state.

Ilia stepped down the small stairs and approached the mare, saying gently, "What's the matter, girl? Why are you all frazzled again?"

She rubbed her snout and tried to calm her, but to no avail. Ilia turned to Link and asked, "What do you think is wrong with her?"

"I don't kn-"

"AHH!" Beth's shrill scream cut Link's voice in his throat instantaneously. His heart skipped a beat and he could tell that Renado's did as well.

"What?" Ilia asked after glancing between the two, slightly confused as to why they were taking the girl's squeal so seriously as the kids made such noises quite often, "They're just playing a game."

"No," Link said without a doubt in his mind as he got to his feet, "That scream was real."

He quickly picked up into a sprint, the spirit's spring coming into view from around the side of the rock face a second later. He could then see all of the children running towards him, a pack of Bulblins in the distance behind them.

Renado and Ilia followed at his heels, eager to see what he was seeing. Ilia gasped and Renado began shouting for the kids to hurry to him, but Link didn't waste the time. He dashed out to meet them, making sure they made it across the village safely.

The pack of vermin was still trying to catch up, but the Gorons were extinguishing a great number of them before they could even pass the sanctuary. Epona's sudden and exceptionally loud whinny told him something else was amiss that he wasn't directly seeing.

Beth stopped in her tracks and pointed at something behind him as she screeched, "Look!"

Link did just that and saw that she was pointing at a lone Bulblin perched on the roof of the inn with an arrow knocked on its bow, ready to fire. He followed its line of sight and was able to discern that it was aiming for Talo. It pulled back the bowstring and Link knew he didn't have time to stop it from firing.

"Talo!" he yelled, causing the boy to come to a stop. The hero ran as fast as he could, readied his shield, and knelt down to the boy's level as soon as he reached him, his guard held out in front of them both.

The sound of the arrowhead hitting the metal of his Hylian Shield could be heard, and he immediately after stood up, pulled out his own bow, put an arrow in place, and shot down the fiend atop their safe house.

In the split second after his projectile was fired and before he began to lower his arms back down, an arrow no one saw coming pierced the hero's arm. He wavered upon impact and grunted as he was momentarily reduced to his knees. He winced as he looked down at the shaft sticking out of the top of his forearm and an arrowhead protruding from underneath.

He gave a sigh in relief that it had made its way clean through this time at least.

Ilia gasped, but Renado kept her at bay. The rest of the children turned to follow the older girl's gaze, nervous to see what caused her to look so frightened. When the young ones witnessed their hero and big brother on his knees with an arrow in his arm, they were stabilized in shock – they didn't know how to react.

Noticing that the Bulblin that had shot him was being taken care of by one of the Gorons, Link quickly sucked in a deep breath and held it as he snapped off the arrowhead and yanked the wooden projectile from his flesh. He grimaced and was stationary for a moment as the children watched him pant for air while he cradled his arm. The pain was petrifying, but, knowing his loved ones were still in danger, he ignored it and was up and moving again in a second flat.

"Get inside!" Link shouted upon standing, noticing that everyone was at a standstill. When they didn't react, he yelled more forcefully and pointed towards the inn, "GO!"

The kids snapped out of it when they realized that the beasts that had slipped past the wrath of the rock creatures were now upon them as Link brandished his blade.

Talo's eyes were wide as saucers and he was rooted to his spot in fear and in shock of what had just happened, but Beth grabbed his hand and pulled him along, Colin, Malo, and Luda a ways ahead by now. Renado and Ilia met them halfway, helping them to hurry along as Link cut down the villains that came to him by foot.

"Link!" he heard Colin shriek from behind him.

He whirled around and saw the little boy pointing at an archer Bulblin across the way on the roof of the bomb shop. It was aiming at the group heading into the inn, but this time Link had been quick enough. He let a projectile fly so fast that the fiend didn't even know what had done it in before it expired.

After watching to ensure that everyone made it safely inside, he returned to the monsters on his doorstep. He sliced down one after another as they came to him, seemingly without the slightest bit of struggle. He could see the Gorons by the spirit's spring stomping, punching, and squishing as many Bulblins as they could, but there were still so many. Where in Hyrule were these trolls coming from in these numbers?

As he had been dispatching of an ogre directly in front of him, a sudden, unexpected hit to the chest by a blunt club from his side caused the hero to grunt and stumble back. He clutched at his sternum, unsure for a moment why the single swing had caused him so much pain. But then he remembered the powerful blow he had taken by the knight back in the Temple of Time – even though the chainmail had prevented the attack from being bloody and fatal, it likely damaged the bone in some way.

The children must have noticed him falter from the window of the hotel, for he could hear their cries of his name from behind him, followed soon after by the stern voice of the shaman stopping them from running back out into the town.

Taking only a moment to regain his composure, Link ended the beast that had struck him with a clean stab through the gut.

After finishing off another slew of monsters and shooting down a couple more that tried to sneak onto higher ground, the hoard - in its entirety - was eradicated. Link sheathed his blade with a sigh and let out an involuntary '_oof_' when something suddenly latched onto his legs from behind. He looked down to see a rather frightened Talo attached to him.

The boy glanced up at him, "You saved me, Link! You're so brave and cool and strong and awesome and brave!"

"You said '_brave_' twice," the brunet's younger brother mumbled as the rest of the group joined them.

"I know, Malo!" Talo shouted angrily, releasing his grip on the hero, "I did it on purpose because he's doubly brave!"

"Are you okay, Link?" Colin asked as he stepped closer to him, a genuinely concerned look in his eyes, "I saw you get hurt…"

Link grasped at his throbbing forearm, "Yeah, but I'm alright."

"It would be wise for us to remain inside, and I need to bandage that new wound of yours, my son," Renado stated, motioning for everyone to retreat back indoors and they all did just that.

Upon entry, Shad was in the motion of heading downstairs. When he saw the crowd coming inside, he said, "What on Farore's green earth was all the commotion about?"

"There was another attack on the village," Renado answered calmly as he started heading upstairs, everyone else following suit behind him.

"Oh dear…" Shad muttered as he turned and proceeded to the second floor as well.

Link took a seat on the bed he had become so familiar with, and Renado pulled up a chair and sat facing him. Luda grabbed a few necessary supplies and the children gathered around as Ilia sat beside him on the cot. The shaman instructed Link to remove his glove and his vambrace and he then rolled up the sleeve of his ivory undershirt and got to work cleaning the wound.

"Is everyone okay? No one got hurt, I hope," Shad inquired as he stepped over the threshold. He then caught sight of the hero's bloodied arm and exclaimed, "My stars, Link! What happened? Are you alright?"

Link nodded, "I'm fine. It's just an arrow wound."

The scholar scoffed, "'_Just_ an arrow wound'? Those can be deadly, I'll have you know. Why, in one of the books I've read recently, it states that injuries from projectiles can be some of the worst."

"I know, Shad," he winced, "I've been hit in much worse places. This is just my arm; I'll be fine."

Shad raised his hands in defense, "I do apologize, old boy. I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine," he cut him off with a reassuring – but half-hearted – smirk before flinching again from the sting of alcohol on his open flesh.

Shad nodded, more so to himself than anyone in the room before saying, "I take it I am in the way. I'll go have a look at that Sky Cannon in the cellar."

"It is not safe to go outside," Renado said firmly, "I insist that you stay indoors for at least a bit longer."

The young scholar sighed, "Then… I suppose I'll just go downstairs and go over the Sky Writing in my books."

When Shad took his leave, Colin stepped in a bit closer and said, "Are you sure you're okay, Link? Does it hurt?"

"I'm okay, Colin. It doesn't hurt," he lied, giving the boy a smile to comfort him.

"You're so cool, Link!" Talo suddenly shouted, jumping away from the group a bit to strike a fierce pose, "You fought all those guys with a hurt arm and everything! You were all like: _pew_! _Pew_!" he attempted to make the sound of arrows flying as he pretended he was holding his own bow and firing down demons in the distance like his hero. "And then you were like: _swish_! _Swish_! _Swish_!" he said as he swung around an imaginary sword.

Link couldn't help but grin at their display, his cheeks flushing a bright crimson when Ilia said, "He sure is brave, isn't he?"

"Yeah! I wanna be like that! I wanna be able to take down all kinds of bad guys!" the brown-haired boy yelled, continuing to act out pretend fight scenes before him.

"Hey! Let's go play downstairs!" Beth suggested, "You can be Link and you have to save me!"

"YEAH!" Talo shouted enthusiastically as they ran out the door.

"Hey! _I_ wanna be Link!" Colin yelled as he chased after them.

"Does that mean I get to be a Goron and stomp on all of you?" Malo added as he followed behind them at a much slower pace.

Ilia giggled at their actions and at the innocence they held, wishing for a moment that their simplemindedness could be shared. She then turned back to Link and noticed that the healer was just finishing up cleaning his wound and was beginning to tie a thick cloth around his arm.

"Are you _really_ okay, Link?" she asked seriously, knowing that he would give a more truthful answer now that the children were absent.

"My arm will be fine," he answered honestly before placing his left hand on his breastbone as he continued, "But my chest is really sore."

The shaman finished the knot on his bandaging and said, "Let's have a look."

Link then took off his tunic, his chainmail, and finally grabbed the hem of his loose, cream undershirt with his good arm and tugged it up over his head, revealing a massive, purple bruise lying almost dead center between his pectoral muscles.

"For Din's sake, Link," Ilia began, a bit of an astounded look on her face, "I've never seen a bruise like that. Even that one you got from that time one of the goats head-butted you in the side pales in comparison to this."

The hero gave a crooked smirk at her statement; he was happy she could remember something from their childhood, but he also recalled how badly that goat had hurt him – it had even managed to bruise one of his ribs.

Renado stared at it strangely before saying, "I know that weak creature outside just now could not have been capable of this. You've had this for a few days, am I correct?"

Link nodded.

"Yes… You can tell by the blackish purple hue," he began diagnosing aloud as he prodded softly at the dark area. Realizing how much the hero was cringing despite his gentle touch, he asked, "What managed to inflict this upon you?"

"It was a…" he paused to think of the words, "Knight, I suppose. He struck me with his sword with an intense amount of strength. My chainmail is the only thing that kept me alive, I think."

"You are correct in that assumption," Renado said, "Without your mail, a blow of this magnitude and in this location would have been very deadly." He then pressed down with a bit more force, apologizing for the discomfort as he noticed Link's grimace upon his touch, "I'm sorry, my boy, but I need to feel the bone…"

It felt like an eternity of jabbing to the hero, but when the shaman came to his conclusion, he finally let up and explained, "You not only have external bruising, but the sternum itself is bruised as well, and I can feel multiple cracks along it."

Link sighed, "I can still fight, though, right?"

"You should be fine so long as you do not take any more hits to the chest. You need to be doubly protective of that bruise until it heals completely."

Link nodded, said, "I can do that," and then proceeded to slip his long-sleeved shirt back on.

He spent the next couple days simply waiting until the sunrise of the fourth day since he had spoken to Fyer, which was when he told Link he would have the cannon operational again.

The hours dragged on, mostly due to the fact that everyone was forced to stay indoors in fear of being ambushed or shot with an arrow from some hidden monster. It bothered the children the most, as they were often bored, but it put Link's mind at ease knowing that they were safe inside. He was also happy to not have to worry about explaining the missing Sky Cannon to Shad just yet.

His bruised chest did not bother him all that much, but his arm caused him pain from time to time. It was beginning to get better, though, and he knew it was getting bearable enough that he could simply suck it up and deal with it.

When it came time for Link to take his leave, he didn't waste time with a lot of drawn out goodbyes – he didn't even explain where it was that he was going. He simply told everyone that he had something he needed to do and that he would be back as soon as he could, and he urged them all to stay inside the inn until he returned. They all agreed, and he prayed to Farore that they would keep their word.

Once outside, Midna warped him to Lake Hylia where he met with the strange cannon man. Fyer told him the Sky Cannon was working just as it should and that it packed a serious punch. He then warned him that it would be a rough ride, and that he was slightly confused as to why he would need such a powerful cannon, but he decided he just wouldn't ask. He then left him by himself as he retreated back into his home.

As Link stood before the ancient machinery that was supposed to launch him through the sky at top speeds and into the heavens, his stomach was in a knot. There was so much wrong with this… How could he trust that it would send him where he needed to go? What if it wasn't pointed in the right direction? What if there wasn't anywhere stable for him to land? What if there wasn't even anything in the clouds for him to see, and the sages really had meant something else entirely when they told him about the heavens?

If there was nothing up there and he shot himself out of this cannon, he would inevitably plummet down to the earth and to his untimely death. He would fall and fall and fall until his life would come to an end with a painful _splat_ on the ground. He cringed as he thought of all the possible outcomes, and he was starting to convince himself more and more that this was foolish and that he shouldn't do it.

"What's the hold up?" his shadow asked, revealing herself before him.

"I can't do this, Midna. I'd be hurling myself to my death, for Din's sake!"

"Whoa, calm down," she said with her hands raised, "This isn't like you. What's the matter?"

"This is just asking too much," he replied a bit more calmly, but still with an anger in his tone, "I already had to get launched out of a cannon over the rocks to the desert which was insane, but this? This is even _more_ insane. I'm putting my life completely on the line here."

"Aren't you always?"

Her words dumbfounded him a bit, rendering him speechless, "Well, y-yeah, but-"

"No, _really_. Think about it: everything you do is putting your life on the line. How is this any different?"

He paused briefly, coming up with an answer, "Any other time there's at least the chance of saving myself, but if the thing about '_the heavens_' is all just some hoax or a trick by the Goddesses and I get into that cannon… that's it. I'm already thousands of feet in the air and the only way I can go is down."

He did have a point, Midna realized, but she wouldn't let him know that – for his own sake, "That's not gonna happen. Why would the Goddesses lead you to your death? They wouldn't kill off their one hope for their world."

He was silent.

"This cannon will shoot you up into the heavens where we have to go to get that last mirror piece. Just trust me."

"How can you know for sure?"

"I just do, okay? _Trust _me."

Link sighed, taking a few minutes to try and reassure himself before finally giving in, "Fine."

Midna nodded, "Good. Let's go!"

Even though she seemed so sure, she was honestly a bit skeptical herself, but she had to let him think she was one hundred percent positive it would work or else he wouldn't do it. She knew the deities wouldn't send him to the grave, but… couldn't they have thought of a better way to get their hero to his next destination than via cannon?

Hesitantly and nervously, he climbed up into the massive contraption and prepared himself for the worst. He could hear the fuse slowly burning and dwindling away until there was nothing left, and the entire time all he could do was silently pray to Farore for his safe travel.

The burst that made him airborne nearly gave him a heart attack, and in a second flat the wind was rushing past his ears faster than he knew possible. He couldn't open his eyes – either out of fear or from the intense strength of the wind against his face, or both.

It was getting harder and harder to breathe as he went higher up, and after a good five minutes, he could feel himself starting to descend. He opened his eyes and looked down, seeing nothing but endless clouds below him. He swallowed hard, accepting in his mind that this was the end. The puffs of air flew past him in immeasurable numbers as he continued to fall, and all he could think about was how he didn't want to die so young, and in such a pathetic way.

He closed his eyes for only a moment, the rushing of wind causing them to burn a bit. When he reopened them and stared beneath him, strange structures began to come into view. A split second later he spotted a tiny body of water, and he quickly sucked in a deep breath just before he plunged into it with a painful splash.

When he surfaced, his companion didn't waste any time in letting him know she was right, "See? Look at that! You're alive and we're in this bizarre place in the clouds!"

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled as he ran a hand down his face in an attempt to get the water out of his eyes.

He made his way to shallower ground and stepped out of the small pool. He began trying to pat himself dry when a sudden gale caught him off guard. He looked up when he heard a loud roaring sound and he spotted an enormous, winged monster that looked like the dragons in old picture books and fairytales. It soared overhead in a blur as it headed towards one of the central buildings and circled around it menacingly.

"Wow," Midna gaped, "How much do you wanna bet you're gonna have to take down that big guy?"

"Who says it needs to be taken down? I'm sure that if we leave it alone it will leave us alone."

"Hah! I didn't think you were still so naïve, Link," she said with a perked brow and her hands on her hips.

"It's not naivety that makes me say that, it's just that… as long as it minds its own business and doesn't bother anyone, why kill it?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "Eh, I guess. It's probably bothering _someone_ though."

Eager to get out of the raging winds, Link ventured into the first easily accessible building he saw. What he witnessed inside did nothing short of stun him. There were creatures that looked like cuccos, and yet, they each had a humanoid head.

Just when he had thought he'd seen the strangest, most disturbing things in every corner of Hyrule, he saw these things.

When one of them began speaking to him, he nearly had to pick his jaw up off the floor, "Ooh! Is this an adventurer? How did you manage to find our city?"

Trying to find his own voice had been difficult, but he didn't want to seem rude, "Uh, the Sky Cannon…"

"Oh goodness! Young man, could you be… the one they call hero?"

"Well, um," he stammered, unsure of how to answer, "I suppose so, yeah."

"Oh, gracious, yes! Well then, welcome to the sky city of the Oocca, brave adventurer! You can call me Ooccoo!"

The Oocca… why did that sound so familiar… Oh, that's right; Shad had been talking about the Oocca living in the clouds for the longest time. Link chuckled inwardly; he knew the scholar would just die if he could be here and see this.

When another loud rumble could be heard outside, the Oocca all cringed in fear before Ooccoo shrilled, "EEK! It's that dragon again! Ooh, goodness… brave adventurer, there's a dragon raging outside the city walls! We're all so terribly worried it's going to eat us!"

Link sighed; so much for leaving it alone, "Just stay inside and I'll take care of it, okay?"

"Ooh! Goodness gracious, yes! We can do that! Thank you, hero! Do be safe out there!"

And with that, Link was glad to take his leave of the strange, pink room.

The winds were intensely strong outside, and they nearly forced the hero off the edge on several occasions. He made his way to the next building he saw, and that's when he noticed the otherworldly architecture of this place.

All the structures were pod-shaped, and they floated amongst each other with small propellers. He noticed that several walls were knocked down and destroyed, either by age or destruction, he wasn't sure.

There were Oocca even in the first chamber he entered, simply wandering about without a care in the world, which he definitely thought to be a bit odd – weren't they scared of the dragon as well?

There were both blue and brownish colored tiles on the floor in this room, and without a second thought, Link began making his way to the opposite side of the corridor. His heart nearly leapt from his chest when he stepped on one of the blue tiles and it began to give way beneath his feet. He stumbled and jumped back to stable ground as he watched the one he had just been standing on fall through the sky and inevitably down to the earth thousands of feet below.

He simply sat where he had hopped back for a moment, breathing in deep as he tried to calm himself in order to get this done. One wrong step in this place, and he was gone. It reminded him bitterly of the Goron Mines, where if he made a single mistake or the ground gave out on him, he was done for.

"Are you freaking out again?" Midna asked teasingly.

He shook his head, "I'm fine. That just startled me is all."

Knowing now that he had to avoid the blue colored tiles at all costs, he walked through the chamber at a much slower, more careful, pace. The various Oocca that were littered about this place offered to help him bridge the gaps in the floor, but he declined at first, worried that the bizarre creatures couldn't hold his weight. When they insisted, he gave in reluctantly, noticing that there was no other way across. He found himself pleasantly surprised when the flight was successful and he was on the other side.

The rooms in this 'temple' had proved to be pretty standard for the most part, but that didn't mean they were any less terrifying. There wasn't a single corridor he had found yet that had all of its flooring intact, and that required him to get creative with how to get across. Most times he had to jump, other times he had to use his clawshot, and the rest of the time he had to get assistance from the Oocca.

After making his way over one of the exterior bridges, the resident dragon swooped in and destroyed the structure in its entirety, meaning there was no way back to the previously visited building. He looked back with a frightened gulp, telling himself he had to simply press on heading forward now.

He couldn't stand when he found himself in a chamber with even less stable ground than before and gusts of air blowing in various directions powerful enough to knock him down. There was nowhere to clawshot to, and none of the odd, birdlike creatures could be found. He had to leap from one point to another, all while minding when the wind would spurt and in which direction.

All the constant jumping was beginning to drain him, and when he went to make his next leap, his hands just barely clasped onto the ledge. The rest of his body smacked harshly against the hard surface as he dangled there helplessly. He winced as the strain on his right arm was excruciating, not only because of his still-healing arrow wound in his forearm but also because of what Renado told him about it being permanently tweaked.

When it became too much, his right arm gave out and he was hanging by only his left. His body flapped against the side of the thick tile in the wind like a loose garment hung out to dry. Midna emerged from his shadow and hovered above him.

"Give me your other hand," she demanded, reaching her tiny hands out for his.

He looked up at her and summoned all of his energy into lifting up his throbbing arm. He grunted as she grasped his hand and tugged with all her might. Concentrating his strength in his left arm and with the aid of his partner pulling his right, he inched up little by little until he was able to lay his forearm atop the surface. From there, he was able to pull himself up the rest of the way on his own.

He let out a disgruntled sigh as he lay on the floor where he dragged himself up, not even bothering to get to his feet and move away from the ledge. He breathed heavy, his cheek against the cold floor with his eyes closed as he recuperated.

"What's with you lately?" his shadow asked, "You seem like you're giving up so much easier."

He exhaled slowly before responding, "It's not that I'm giving up. It's just, I don't know," he sat up to look at her as he spoke, "I feel drained. I feel like there's so much I need to do and so much of myself I have to give, but there's not enough to go around. I feel… spread thin, I guess – if that makes sense."

"It makes sense," she said, "But you can't lose sight of what you have to do."

"I'm not, Midna," he sighed again, "I don't think you understand."

She looked disheartened, "Maybe not entirely… But I'm trying, and I probably understand it better than anyone else could, right?"

He gave a half-smile, "Right."

"So, yeah, keep your chin up, or whatever else people say to cheer someone up."

He laughed, "You always know how to cheer me up."

She smiled, "Good, because… you do the same for me."

They continued on until they found themselves in a massive, circular corridor with only sparse bits and pieces of firm ground. The bottom was completely open to the clouds and the bright blue sky below. He made his way down to a door he spotted towards the lowest portion of this chamber very, very slowly. He was overly cautious, but rightly so.

He found himself then being faced down by a winged creature. It held a blade and a round shield with a rough surface and it wore an iron helm. It screeched something awful upon the hero's entrance, signifying that it did not intend to let him pass without a fight.

It soared in and out of the enormous holes in the walls, attempting intimidation. When it found that tactic to be fruitless, it dove down to attack. The hero raised his shield and the fiend reverberated off of it, rendering itself momentarily stunned. Link moved in to slice it down, but it took back to the air before he could do so.

He grabbed out his bow and arrows and began trying to shoot down the flying enemy, but it was quick enough and smart enough to put up its guard every single time. By about the third time the creature flaunted its shield, a light bulb went off in Link's mind: the beast's guard looked almost exactly like the round, rough medallions that he always used to attach his clawshot to. Knowing that it couldn't hurt to try, he grabbed out the aforementioned weapon and launched the claw at the fiend's defense.

With a shriek, the creature was yanked down to the hero's level by its shield where he sliced straight down its torso. It recoiled with an ear-splitting squeal and took to flying once again.

Now it was moving more rapidly as it jolted about in midair, trying to avoid the metal claw coming its way. It was waiting for the appropriate time to make its strike, completely unaware that it wouldn't even get the chance.

Link pulled back the trigger of his mechanical apparatus and held it, waiting patiently for even the slightest hiccup in the monster's movements, one eye closed to get a better idea of where to aim. When it faltered the tiniest bit, Link released the trigger and the metal latched onto its shield and jerked it down to the ground punitively.

The hero didn't waste a second cleaving the Master Sword through the demon's heart – it was quicker, quieter, and less painful that way. With a sigh, he wiped his wet blade against the tall blades of grass, removing some of the dripping, oddly colored blood from the steel.

"You've gotten pretty good," Midna noted.

He shrugged, "It just feels natural; I don't really have to think about it."

"That's exactly how you've gotten better," she said with a smirk.

He smiled in return, but continued on without wasting any time.

When he approached the treasure that the winged beast had been guarding, he was surprised to find another clawshot that was identical to the one he already had in his possession. At first, he thought about leaving it behind as he already had one, but then the gears in his mind began turning and he couldn't help but think: '_What if I can use them both at the same time?_'

"Uh oh. I know that look," his comrade taunted, referring to his eager expression, "What's going on in that brain of yours?"

"I've got two clawshots now," he replied, "I bet that will make this place so much easier to navigate."

"If you say so," she said with a shrug.

Excited to try out using the two items at once, he hooked onto a nearby grating, prepared his other hand, and shot over to an opposite grating. He grinned upon realization that it would work and that he just knew it would be immensely helpful. The only downside was that it was extremely draining on his arms, especially his right.

He could push past it, though, as he did so many things.

Ascending the central-most spherical chamber was as easy as pie now, and he carried that same mentality into the following room where he saw multiple ascending pillars in a zigzag formation with clawshot medallions on every other one leading to stable ground on the other side, but there was naught but open air beneath them.

He latched onto the first one without even stopping to think, and he immediately regretted it. As soon as he found himself hanging by the claw on the horizontal pole, the part he was attached to began swiftly descending from his added weight.

His heart skipped a beat with the initial jerk of the two structures disconnecting, and when he felt it steadily going down he almost stopped breathing altogether.

"Hurry, Link! Shoot to the next one!" his companion yelled, separating herself from his shadow to try and help him.

He prepared the second clawshot and aimed as quickly as he could for the next target. To his dismay, the same thing began to happen once he was there – it began to sink. He pointed the claw to the next one, but his hands were shaking and his mind wasn't thinking clearly anymore. He shot once, missed, shot twice, missed, and the third finally launched him across the void.

His heart sank when he realized the third beam was falling as well, and when he got to the fourth, his energy was spent and his mind was blank.

He panicked, Midna saw it, and as soon as she recognized that look on his face she knew that was it.

He couldn't focus and his every attempt to shoot was failing. He ran out of time, and the structure he was latched onto separated completely from the short, metal rod and he and it were lost to the City in the Sky.

"LINK!" Midna cried in terror as she watched him fall through the clouds.

He had screamed for a brief moment, his arm extended towards her and a look of helplessness and fear on his face, and then there was only the sound of the wind.

The imp did the first thing that came to her mind – she dove after him, reached her hair-hand down and grabbed the hero's falling form in her grasp. She strained a bit against the momentum he had acquired from falling, sinking a bit herself as he fell into her open palm.

They both descended for a few more seconds before she was finally able to combat the pull of gravity and floated back up to the sky city with her hero in tow. She hovered back into the same room and laid her companion down on the hard tile on the side of the corridor he had been trying to get to, taking it upon herself to lie down beside him.

She huffed a sigh of relief and of utter exhaustion as she let her body rest on the cool floor. She then turned to the hero and noticed he was breathing at an alarmingly fast rate.

She sat up and placed a hand on his cheek as she said soothingly, "Are you alright?"

He didn't open his eyes or even utter a word; he simply nodded in response.

She smiled as she laid her head down on his chest without a sound.

A few minutes passed and his breathing evened out. She had started dozing off and she could tell he was as well. Just before dreamland claimed them both, she felt him drape his arm over her and he whispered, "Thank you, Midna… You saved my life."

She smiled again before replying in the most calming voice, "And you've saved mine. In more ways than you know…"

* * *

_**Sometimes, we ask too much of ourselves.**_


	49. Gravity

**A/N: **I apologize for another long wait, everyone. But it's here now and I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 49: Gravity

**.:.**

Sleep took them then for an amount of time neither one could measure. Exhaustion had been the culprit in their unconsciousness, but it was well deserved and much desired on both counts.

The hero's fatigue could have been pinned on numerous things: the simple fact that he hadn't slept, physical and mental exertion, as well as an overall feeling of dread and anxiousness that had its grip perpetually around his heart and mind.

The imp's fatigue, however, was from another entity. Although lack of sleep was partly to blame, she was mostly exhausted from the previous ordeal when her companion nearly plummeted to his death. Not only due to shock and fear, but also because of the physical toll it took on her petite form to use her hair-hand for such tasks.

Her Twili powers - in relation to the extension of her spare extremity - were divided into two separate types of abilities. The telekinesis sort which she often used to lift extremely heavy things, such as the lava rock on Death Mountain and the missing bridge of Kakariko Gorge, was not dependent on her own physical strength, whereas using her hair-hand to actually take something (or someone) into her grip _was_ reliant on the actual strength in her muscles. Therefore, having taken the hero into her grasp after he had acquired a good amount of speed in the fall had made her job doubly tiring.

Though it mattered not; it was over now and they were both safely tucked away in their own personal dreamlands, taking the much needed time to recuperate.

While Midna mostly dreamt of pleasant things, Link found himself riddled with nightmares. The last few times he had been able to sleep, his terrifying dreams had plagued him – perhaps it was another reason why he wasn't resting much anymore. His unconscious mind was filled with turmoil and hardship, seemingly having forgotten what serenity and peace felt like. He saw monsters and blood, death and chaos, and all that was once good in his world was lost.

When he suddenly saw an indescribable, malicious force surrounded entirely in a black mist, his dream-self furrowed his brow. The cloud swiftly dissipated, a deep, dark laughter resonating in the depths of the hero's mind as it did so. What he saw then, lying motionless on the dry ground where the evil force was only seconds prior, was the limp, lifeless form of Midna.

He instantaneously jolted awake with a loud gasp. His body jerked and tried to sit up from the sudden shift to consciousness of its own accord, but he quickly discovered that the one he had just seen lying dead in his dream was resting atop his chest, sound asleep. He laid his head back down on the ground with a sigh of relief in knowing that she was still alive and well.

Even though he could see her serene expression, feel her warmth upon him, and hear her breaths beside him, he simply couldn't help shake the horrible feeling of trepidation that that nightmare had instilled in him. For a split second, it had felt all too real, and immensely painful; he couldn't imagine what he would do if such a thing was to ever come to be.

Life without Midna… What in all of Farore's green earth would he do if she were ever to leave him? After such a long, trying journey binding them ever closer day by day, he honestly couldn't picture continuing living the way he was before all of this – he couldn't picture living without her by his side.

For a moment, he chuckled, thinking that she would be too stubborn to ever leave him, and that she would probably remain beside him for a very long time to come, making sure that she seized every possible opportunity to tease him. But then, a hint of realism sunk in, and he thought, '_What if something happens, and she gets hurt? Or… what if she_ does _have to go back to her realm one day?_'

Her stirring form shook him from his negative thoughts, and he simply told himself that it was foolish to trouble his already burdened mind with things that may not even come to pass. He would pray to the Goddesses that he would be able to keep his companion forever at his side, and he hoped they would answer his plea.

She stretched and yawned, sitting up from her position across his chest. She extended her arms high above her head and let out a grumble before looking down at the hero still lying on the ground.

He looked back at her with a smile and asked, "Did you sleep well?"

She nodded, "Yeah. I guess I didn't realize how tired I was."

He sat up, resting his forearms atop his lifted knees with his hands clasped in the middle, "Same here. How long do you think we were out?"

"Beats me," she shrugged, yawning again.

It was quiet for a moment, Link staring at his partner all the while. She noticed and began to wonder what was causing the strange look on the young man's face.

"What?" she inquired.

"Nothing," he smirked, "I just don't know how I got so lucky to have met you."

A flush of heat rose in her cheeks, but she quickly did her best to hide it with a typical sarcastic remark, "Oh, shut up. You know the way we met was in no way lucky for _you_. And I know you didn't feel this way in the beginning. I was pretty evil."

He shook his head, "That doesn't matter now. Do you know how far I would've made it in this mess without you?"

She shrugged again, trying to make herself sound less important as it was becoming difficult for her to take so much flattery, "Probably pretty far. You've got insane survival skills."

"Maybe now, but I didn't always. You know I wouldn't have even made it out of that cell if you hadn't found me."

"You don't understand, though," she sighed, "I didn't do that to help you; I just needed to use you for my own gain."

"That's in the past. Stop worrying over how you used to be and just realize how far you've come."

She couldn't help but give him a cheeky grin, "You're amazing, you know that?"

He chuckled, "You're pretty amazing yourself."

"What's with all the compliments anyway? You're acting kind of weird," she said with her arms folded over her chest.

He got to his feet and dusted himself off as he replied, "I just thought I'd take a minute to let you know how much you're appreciated. I can't think of anyone I'd rather have by my side through all this. You've become more important to me than you know."

"I can say the same to you, Mister Big Important Hero," she said with a playful smirk.

He smiled in return, simply taking in the nice moment mutely for some time. When a few seconds passed by, Midna took it upon herself to break the silence.

"Well, are we ready to finish up this place?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," he answered, ensuring that all of his effects were still strapped on tight, "Maybe I can move about more confidently knowing that you can always catch me."

"No, no, no," she spat quickly, "Please don't think so carelessly. We got lucky that time; I honestly didn't think I would be able to save you. You're really heavy with all your gear and stuff on and I'm not that strong. I don't think I'd be able to do it again if you fell."

"Alright," he said as he scratched the back of his neck, feeling a bit embarrassed, "I'll be more careful. Sorry to put you through that, by the way."

"Don't be sorry, just don't do it again. I think you only fell because you let your exhaustion and anxiety get the better of you and you kind of freaked out on me back there."

He gave a heavy sigh, "I know, I'm sorry. I think I just needed to rest – I'm feeling better now."

"Good," she chirped, "Then let's hurry up and get that last mirror piece."

He nodded, and they didn't waste another second.

The very next area they found themselves in would instantly put the hero's renewed mind to the test. There was nowhere to go but underneath one of the dilapidated bridges, moving forward one by one from grating to grating. Deku Babas hung upside down and taunted him as he made his way across, but he cleverly shot them down before even coming close.

The task was intimidating, to say the least, as there was naught but open sky below him for a solid ten minutes as he made his way across, but he was able to do so without much difficulty and he was quick to press on once on the other side.

Another destroyed bridge blocked their path once again. This time, however, there was no form of solid ground between the two buildings, meaning he couldn't travel underneath like he had previously. He looked up and spotted numerous hovering plants lined up over the void. Midna called them '_peahats_.' He didn't understand the name or how she knew it, but he didn't question it. She suggested he use them to get across, and he figured it was worth a shot.

He was slightly worried that the floating foliage wouldn't be able to sustain his weight, but he was delightfully proven wrong. They held up just fine, and he was able to clawshot from one to the next without a hitch. There were a few pesky flying monsters inhabiting the area, but whenever one drew too close the hero simply shot it down with his retractable metal claw.

From that point on, most of the corridors were so utterly ruined that the only means of travelling through them was via the duel clawshots. There was scarcely any flooring remaining, and the walls were crumbling and decayed. Link had to get creative with how to get from one end of the room to the other.

Being so high up and having nothing but clouds beneath him was still just as terrifying as it had been when he first arrived here; he was just getting better at placing himself elsewhere in his mind. He trained himself not to look down, and to imagine that he was simply in a forest on the solid earth, soaring from tree to tree and it was only a short drop to a soft patch of grass.

In one of the next chambers, he was relieved to discover that he was finally making his way higher, meaning he was probably getting closer to where the dragon dwelt. He ascended the run-down corridor one step at a time, travelling from a patch of vines, to a rough grating, to a clawshot medallion, and so on for what felt like forever.

Once he reached the top, a heavily armored creature charged him from the opposite side of the platform. It was strong and well protected, wielding two shields. Link didn't want to waste any more time with another pointless battle, though. As the fiend went in for a strike, the hero dodged and swung harshly at one of its guards, sending it out of its grasp and over the edge. It growled in rage but did not change its approach, and the same happened for its second shield. Now exceptionally angry, the reptilian brute picked up its speed, slashing and slicing in hopes of cutting the hero open. He had sustained a small cut across his left bicep, but was otherwise successful in missing all of the creature's futile blows.

Growing bored, Link waited for an opening and leapt over the fiend's head, slicing clean through its iron helm and into its skull as he did so. When he landed on the ground behind it, he heard the expired demon's body fall just the same, and he moved on.

He then found himself back on the exterior portion of the city, and he quickly began climbing up the nearby wall via the various patches of vines and ropes scattered along it. The higher he went, the harder it became to hear. The wind was rushing past his ears in such an intensity that he was almost positive it was going to knock him right off the wall, but he was always just able to hold on. Also the higher he went, the more broken and collapsed the walls became. He was soon no longer able to simply climb, and he had to resort to the clawshots once again to get him further up the tall building.

After what felt like hours of climbing, he finally found himself at the top. He simply lay at the edge where he pulled himself up for a moment, his entire body exhausted – especially his arms – from the seemingly endless ascent he had to make to get here.

He took a moment to catch his breath before sitting up and looking around. He gazed over the edge and realized that he had climbed so far that he could barely even see the other adjoining buildings that made up the City in the Sky; they were nothing but shadowy outlines through the mist. He then looked up at the sky above him, noticing that the clouds had become drastically darker and he feared that a storm was brewing.

He gave a sigh as he glanced around the platform he had found himself on. It was perfectly square with four immeasurably tall pillars near each of the respective corners. Grass grew wildly on this strange patch of land, and the speed of the wind had picked up, moving the ominous clouds ever closer to him.

As he looked around the massive arena, he realized that he was in the monster's lair, and yet, there was no monster. This was definitely where the dragon had to be residing, but where was it?

He quickly got to his feet, instantly on alert. He withdrew his blade and made his way slowly and cautiously to the center of the grassy area. He kept his eyes glued in front of him, searching the skies for the predator that he knew to be lurking amongst them.

"Link," his shadow called, but he was unable to hear her over the rushing winds. "Link!" she tried again.

When he still didn't respond, she leapt from her hiding place quicker than she ever had before. She yanked on the hero's ear and tugged him around as she screeched, "Look!"

It was the dragon, and it was soaring straight towards him.

He had a mere split second to react, giving him just barely enough time to roll out of the way of the monster's talons as it dragged them across the grass in hopes of whisking the hero right off the platform. Even though he dodged its claws, the raging gust that followed behind the swooping fiend caught him in its drift. The wind was so powerful it pushed him all the way to the edge of the spit of land, and with a surprised grunt, he grabbed hold of the ledge just in time to prevent himself from falling off.

His right hand slipped, causing him to dangle by his left and forcing him to look down at what awaited him should he fall. He quickly closed his eyes and gulped hard, trying desperately to get the image of how high up he was out of his mind. His arms were wailing in pain; they both had taken such an intense beating lately that it was almost unfair that he had to continue to use them. His left had endured an unnaturally large spider bite, while his right had been utterly shattered and then pierced with an arrow. Physical pain was easy for him to push through, though, because he always knew that it would eventually pass, and that's what he kept reminding himself of.

It took a moment for the rush of air to pass and for him to regain his composure in order to pull himself back up, and he did so with haste as soon as he was able. Upon standing, he instantaneously spotted the enormous beast circling around and preparing to dive down upon him again. This time, though, he had an idea – he only hoped he would be quick enough to execute it.

He hastily pulled the iron boots out of his pack and strapped them on as fast as he possibly could, keeping his eyes focused on the dragon all the while.

"What do you need those for? You're just wasting time!" Midna screamed from his shadow, fear gripping her painfully as she noticed how rapidly the monster was closing in on him.

He didn't respond; he was concentrating solely on his enemy and getting his heavy gear on in time, tuning out all else around him.

As soon as he fastened the second boot on securely, the dragon was only seconds away from making contact. He retook his sword and right when the fiend came in close in an attempt to claw the hero open with its talons, he sidestepped out of the way and sliced deep into the monster's leg, dark, purplish blood spilling out upon impact.

It screeched something awful as it landed on the ground, its momentum causing it to skid right off the platform. Link knew that wasn't the end, not even close, but he couldn't focus on the creature at that exact moment as he had to focus on the reason why he had strapped on his heavy boots – the gust of wind that followed the dragon's descent. He raised his forearm to shield his face, his knees bent slightly as his body pushed back against the powerful gale. He was relieved to discover that the iron boots had proved to be successful in keeping him from flying off into the clouds.

The wind then came to an abrupt halt, causing the hero to stumble forward a bit with the sudden absence of the push against his body. He whirled around when he heard the thunderous beating of the dragon's wings behind him, and he saw it recovering from its fall as it hovered at his level menacingly for a number of heartbeats. It then let loose an angry, petrifying roar, signifying that it had been going easy on him, and now it was ready to commence the _true_ battle.

As if its ear-piercing call had sent a signal to the Goddesses themselves, a deafening clap of thunder sounded from the heavens above and rain began pouring down in an instant. The dragon took to the open skies again, bolts of lightning striking down all around it.

Link's heart pounded almost as loudly as the storm as he anxiously looked around in each direction, trying desperately to devise a plan. No longer giving him even a second to think, the beast swooped down again, but this time remained high enough that the hero couldn't swing at it. It blew a blast of fire out of its mouth at the hero, and he was barely fast enough to evade it. The encounter was much too close for comfort, and he knew he could no longer take solace in the iron boots now as they were only slowing him down. He quickly unfastened them and stuffed them back into his pouch just before back flipping out of the way of another burst of flames.

This wasn't working; he knew he had to come up with another plan. He watched where the dragon retreated to in between dive-bombs and he realized it was hanging out towards the top of the tall pillars. He knew that if he was going to do any damage to this fiend, he needed to get to its level.

He grabbed out his clawshots and began ascending the pillars by shooting back and forth between the gratings, each time shooting a little bit higher until he was finally at the top. Luckily, the dragon hadn't noticed him ascending the posts – an advantage to being so small in the scheme of things. From the top, he could just barely make out a number of peahats hovering between the tall columns through the ferocious rain, giving him a pathway between them.

He noticed the monster was agitatedly searching for its prey on the ground, leaving itself completely open as it did not expect the pesky human to manage to get to its level by any means. He shot from one peahat to the next until he was directly facing the dragon's back. He had a crazy idea, and he had no idea if it would work, but it was the only thing he could think of and he knew he had to give it a try.

He aimed the clawshot at the fiend's spine, praying that it could latch into its tough scales. Farore answered his plea, it seemed, as he was instantaneously soaring through the air before landing roughly on the winged beast's back. It began thrashing about wildly as soon as it realized it had been outwitted, but Link acted quickly. He pulled out the Master Sword and stabbed it straight into the dragon's back. It wailed loudly as it sunk a bit in altitude, but it was not done in yet.

It then began flying spastically, trying to make the hero fall off of its backside. He was holding on by the hilt of his blade which was still stuck quite deep into the flesh of the brute, but when the dragon performed a quick and violent spin, the sword came loose and he was falling through the air at a rapid pace. His arms and legs flailed helplessly as he looked down at just how far he had to drop, and he realized he was higher than the tall columns – he knew there was no surviving if he let himself collide with the grassy platform that was their battleground.

His heartbeat was racing and his fear tripled as he knew Midna couldn't save him in these conditions, and he wouldn't want her to anyway. Through the pouring rain and the rushing wind past his face as he tumbled through the air, he could just barely make out where the grating on the pillars was in comparison to his location. He concentrated on stabilizing himself as best as he could as he was falling, trying to aim the clawshot at the rough surface. He pulled the trigger too hastily and missed, now having descended past the height of the tops of the pillars.

He was frantic now, having mere seconds to save himself before his body would shatter against the hard ground. He shot once more, focusing everything he had into aiming correctly, knowing that this was it and he had to get it right. The metal claw sunk into the grating on the nearest column to him and the chain grabbed him from his rapid decline and latched him to the wall of the post.

He heaved a sigh of relief, but he didn't have even a second to recoup from the near-death experience. The dragon began breathing more fire at him, and he quickly shot to the next pillar's scraggy wall, hurriedly making his way to the top again. As he was shooting to the next one, the beast's flame caught on the heel of his right boot. He groaned loudly at the sudden discomfort of his burning foot, but the torrential rainfall quickly put the small fire out.

Once high enough, he scrambled to the top so hastily that he slipped on the flat, wet surface, but he was able to just as quickly catch himself and get back up. He noticed the dragon preparing another burst of flames, and he rapidly began shooting to the peahats. His arm was aching awfully, and while it begged him for a respite, he would not relent. He knew his arm would be intensely sore later, but he knew that was the price he had to pay and he wouldn't regret it one bit.

Even despite the cold, pouring rain, the intense heat of the flames was so close to his back that he was beginning to sweat. He was just barely moving fast enough to avoid the scorching element, and he knew that if he made one single mistake or missed the next shot even once, it was over. The lightning struck down every few seconds, brightening up the dark sky, and the booming thunder drowned out all other sounds. He was now completely soaked from the rain that continuously beat down upon him, but it didn't slow him down. His adrenaline was pumping, making him forget the pain in his arms and helping him to be hyper-focused.

They went in circles for what felt like an eternity; he knew he had initiated an unending loop as he couldn't stop or else he would be fried, but he also had planned for this. He knew that if he went long enough, his adversary would either grow bored, or grow tired from the constant spewing of fire – he knew the dragon would have to take a break sooner or later, whereas he could keep going forever.

Only a moment later, his theory was proven true. The monster suddenly ceased its attack, breathing heavily as puffs of smoke drifted out of its nostrils. Link took its moment of weakness as his one opportunity, knowing that it was now or never. The beast was recovering, not noticing what its enemy was doing. The hero shot to the next few peahats hurriedly, getting to the massive creature's backside again. He aimed, released the trigger, and found himself atop the dragon once again.

He breathed steadily, knowing that he had to finish it this time or else he was sure he wouldn't get the chance to again as this monster was very smart and quick to adapt to the hero's strategies. He turned the hilt of his sword downwards in his palms and stabbed the beast once, twice, three times, four times, five times before it began thrashing about so viciously that it was becoming nearly impossible to hold on.

Realizing that this powerful monster was so strong that it still wasn't giving up, and that he had no chance against it if it kept taking higher and higher to the skies, he thought of something else. He dug his knees into the dragon's sides, using his leg muscles to keep himself secured in place as he two-handedly sunk the steel of his blade into the beast's left wing. The first swing only cut halfway, and with the second, its appendage was completely severed.

The dragon's screech was deafening, and only seconds later the fiend began its prompt descent. Link clung on desperately, watching in horror as the ground came closer and closer. The monster was incredibly intelligent, though, using the last of its strength to turn itself in midair just before the collision to ensure that the hero was beneath it, hoping to crush its foe as its last defense.

Too disoriented to notice until it was too late, Link closed his eyes and took in a deep breath in preparation as soon as he saw the grass only a few feet away. Midna leapt from his shadow, screaming his name in terror as she watched the gigantic monster fall limply to the ground, back-first. As a clap of thunder sounded loudly throughout the sky, the resident dragon of the City in the Sky met its end upon the grassy terrain, crushing the hero beneath its lifeless body.

"LINK!" Midna bellowed, horrified as she swooped down beside the form of the dead beast, not spotting her companion at all, "Oh Gods, oh Gods, oh Gods…"

She hovered about frantically, unsure of what to do at first, "Think, Midna, think!"

Suddenly, she got an idea. Channeling her Twili powers, she concentrated on lifting the massive form of the dragon with her telekinesis brand of magic. The familiar Twili sparks formed around it, and she quickly whisked it to the side with a grunt, revealing the form of the unconscious hero in its place.

She hurried to his side, a look of unbridled worry on her feminine features. He was lying flat on his back, his arms splayed out at his sides with the Master Sword sitting atop his open palm. His seemingly lifeless face was covered in dirt, and his clothing was scorched in various places, as well as his boots. That was when she noticed the disturbing twist of his right leg. She gagged and quickly turned away when she realized that one of his shin bones was protruding through his skin.

She laid her head atop his chest, listening closely for a heartbeat. Hearing nothing at first, she instantly began to panic. Realizing, however, that she needed to calm herself, she took in a deep breath, released it, and tried again. This time she really concentrated, and after a few moments was able to pick up his faint pulse. She heaved a sigh in relief, resting her upper half across his chest as she took a second to compose herself.

He was alive, thank the Goddesses, but he was going to be in a lot of pain when he woke up, she knew. But then she thought… what if he doesn't wake up? He _did_ just get crushed by a dragon for Din's sake.

She shook his shoulder gently, saying, "Link."

There was no response.

"Link," she tried again, a bit louder.

Still, there was nothing.

"Don't panic…" she whispered to herself, "This isn't the first time he's been knocked out and hasn't woken up," she breathed slowly, trying to calm herself down, "He'll be fine… He's fine…"

In an attempt to take her mind off of the fact that he wasn't regaining consciousness, she decided she'd try to bandage his leg. She reached into the pouch on his waist and took out a roll of cloth the old shaman always replenished his bag with each time he returned to Kakariko. She wiped the rain out of her eyes and tried to focus on dressing his wound without being sick at the grotesque sight. She quickly wrapped the gauze around his shin as many times as she could until there was no cloth remaining. She finished it off with knot and noticed then that her hero was beginning to stir.

She moved closer to him with an apprehensive breath, watching his face intently. The downpour of rain started to ease up to a light drizzle, but the imp hardly even noticed. Link grimaced weakly, and she could spot his eyes moving behind closed lids. She placed a dainty hand on his cheek, hoping to ease him back to consciousness softly.

"Link," she whispered soothingly.

His eyes began to flicker open slowly, and it was clear that the pain of his leg suddenly hit him as he let out a low grumble.

Midna released a breath she hadn't even realized she had been holding in as she wiped her hands down her face.

"What… What in Hyrule happened to my leg…?" the hero questioned nearly inaudibly as he tried to lift his head in order to look at it.

"Um, you broke it," she answered bluntly.

When he tried to get up to get a glance at it again, she eased him back down and said, "You really don't want to see it, trust me. I bandaged it up, though."

He sighed, resting his head back down on the grass before mumbling, "My body aches like hell… What happened?"

Midna scoffed, "A Goddess-damned dragon _fell_ on top of you for Din's sake. If your body didn't ache I would think something was seriously wrong with you."

"Dragon…" Link whispered, the events replaying in his mind as he slowly remembered what exactly had happened. "I remember now…" he sighed, "I honestly thought that was it for me."

Midna frowned, "I did for a minute, too."

"I could see the ground coming closer and closer, and in an instant I felt pain, and then everything went white. I thought I was dead."

The imp had to hold back the wetness that dared to escape her lashes upon just the simple thought of such a thing occurring, "I was terrified. I watched it all happen, and I couldn't do anything."

He smiled, "You did, though. You saved me again, didn't you?"

She frowned, "No… I didn't do anything."

"You got the dragon's dead body off of the top of me, didn't you?"

"Well, yeah, but that's not really _saving_ you. You already got hurt, so it's not like I was able to prevent anything bad from happening. I just-"

"No, you _did_ save me. If you hadn't gotten that thing off of me I would have just stayed under there until my entire body was squished, probably," he let out a dark chuckle, "What an anticlimactic tale I would have told about me."

"Well, whatever. It's done now and I just want to make sure you're alright," she said, eager to change the subject.

"I'm fine," he said much too promptly.

"Pff, yeah right. I know you're not; don't lie to me. Just tell me how I can help."

He gave her a weak smirk, "You're right, as usual. I feel awful. Honestly, though, I'll be fine if I can just rest."

"Okay. What can I do?"

"Just… stay next to me and talk to me," he replied with a smile as he closed his eyes, letting the light sprinkle of rain wash over him.

She was speechless for a moment, but she couldn't help but give a smile herself seconds later, "I can do that."

She didn't know what to talk about at first, which was bizarre considering she was never left without something to say – she _always_ had something to say. Knowing that his only request was for her to talk to him, though, put an unnecessary pressure on her to speak of something he would enjoy hearing.

"You know, you've changed a lot since all of this started," she began.

"Oh?" was all he said, indicating that he wanted her to go on.

"Yeah. You've become so… _heroic_."

He chuckled.

She smacked her palm against her forehead, genuinely embarrassed, "I know, that was corny, wasn't it?"

"No," he opened his eyes and looked up at the sky, the rain starting to slowly become nonexistent by now, "I just never thought that would be a word used to describe me."

"Why not? That's exactly what you are. You put others before yourself and do everything you can to help even though hardly anyone ever cares or even knows what you've done. I couldn't do that."

"What do you mean you couldn't do that?" he looked over at her, his brow furrowed in confusion, "You do that every single day."

She scoffed, "No, I don't."

"Yes, you do," he argued, "Every single day that you continue to help me with this you're helping strangers that don't even know you exist. You're helping save two worlds from corruption."

She shook her head, "All I do is hang out in your shadow and pester you to get up every once in a while when you're down."

"Exactly. Where would I be if I didn't have you picking me up when I fall?"

She tried to hide her blushing cheeks, covering them with her hands as she shouted, "Enough about me! I was trying to give _you_ a compliment, for Din's sake!"

He couldn't help but chuckle again.

She huffed, "Sorry. I just can't take all the compliments and stuff. I really don't like talking about myself."

"Don't be sorry; I like to know the original Midna is still in there somewhere every now and then."

She smiled at his sweet response, but tried to bring the subject back around to what she had originally intended it to be, "As I was trying to say… You've become pretty epic, even more so than you already were. Even though yesterday you kind of freaked out and let the seriousness of everything get to you, you still got up as soon as you could and showed evil who's boss. I admire how you never give up, and how you always give it your best, even when you're at your limit. I wish I had some of those qualities."

Now _he_ was beginning to blush a bit, "Thank you, Midna… Why is it you're allowed to give me all this flattery but I can't give you any?" he asked with a sly grin.

She didn't smile like he had thought she would, "I just don't like talking about myself. I don't… always like how I've portrayed myself and how I've treated my people."

He looked perplexed, "Your people?"

Her eyes went wide, not realizing she had slipped up and said something she didn't want him to hear, "Oh! Uh… I just mean, you know, my fellow Twili. I wasn't always nice to my friends and family and stuff," she stammered, hoping he would be in enough pain to not catch what a horrible cover up that had been.

He didn't seem convinced, but was too tired to question it, "I don't think any of them would hold it against you, you know."

She looked down at the grass beneath her small frame, wishing he knew what she was truly referring to, "Yeah, maybe…"

She would tell him, she would tell him everything, just not yet. Maybe when they put the mirror back together… Yeah, she thought, maybe then. She didn't want to think about how he would react when he found out about her past. Would he think differently of her? Would he hate her? She was sure, being the good person he was, he wouldn't have a dramatic reaction, but that didn't make her any less nervous to tell him.

He spoke up with a change of topic, drawing her instantly from her thoughts, "What do you think I should tell the others about all of this? I mean, I probably can't tell anyone that I found the actual city of the Oocca… can I?"

Midna shrugged, "I really don't know. I guess that decision is up to you. What do you think they would do if you told them?"

He looked up at the now-bright blue sky above them, the storm having completely disappeared, "Most of them wouldn't believe me, but Shad would definitely want to know how I got here and he'd want to come immediately," he laughed, "He would absolutely go insane with excitement if I told him all of his research wasn't in vain and that he was right all along."

"Maybe you _should_ tell him then, but I don't know how the weird chicken things that live here would feel if you suddenly started inviting a bunch of people to come visit their city."

"Oh, gracious, yes! That would be most lovely! We Oocca love guests!" Ooccoo chirped happily as she flew in from somewhere unknown and stood beside the two companions.

Midna was speechless as she was still completely taken aback by the otherworldly creatures.

"Oh goodness! Brave hero! You are injured! We would be happy to take care of that wound for you!" the Oocca stated enthusiastically.

Link shook his head, "That won't be necessary. There is a shaman down in Kakariko Village that tends to me frequently, and I feel he'll know best how to treat this, but thank you very much for the kind offer."

"Ooh, goodness… Well, we can at least get you some of our most powerful red potion! It will greatly ease your pain until you can get to your healer!"

Link glanced over at Midna, and then back at Ooccoo before giving in, "That would be much appreciated."

"Oh, yes! I will be right back then!" she shrieked as she flew back down to one of the adjacent buildings.

Once the strange creature was out of earshot, Midna asked, "Are you sure you don't want them to at least look at it before we go to Renado?"

He gave her a look, "Really? I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but they don't even have hands, Midna, how in Hyrule would they treat my broken leg?"

Midna giggled, "Good point."

Oocca was back in no time at all, handing the bottle of the sparkling, crimson liquid to the imp to give to her companion.

"This is the best red potion you will ever find, you see! It is the least the Oocca can do for the brave adventurer that took down that scary dragon! We are forever grateful to you, hero!"

The hero nodded, both in his thanks for the potion and in recognition of her thanks, and Ooccoo took off after offering the hero a bow and one final word of appreciation.

Midna uncorked the bottle and gave it a sniff. She recoiled, covering her nose as she said, "This probably tastes awful. Are you ready?"

"I'd rather have disgusting potion than the aching body I have now, so yes."

She helped him to sit up a bit, handing him the glass bottle to put to his lips on his own. He didn't waste a second in smelling it or preparing himself, he simply chugged it down in a single motion, tossing the bottle aside with a loud groan of distaste immediately after.

"Gross?" Midna asked.

"Absolutely repulsive," he corrected.

She laughed, "Well, at least you'll be feeling better soon. Where do you suppose that mirror piece is, anyway?"

He eased himself back down onto the grass with a long breath as he pointed to the dragon's lifeless body and said, "I saw something glowing amongst its scales when I was on top of it. I think it's on its back somewhere."

"Hm," the imp mumbled as she hovered over to the form of the dead beast. It was wet and covered in dark blood, making it nearly impossible to even decipher where its back was at first glance.

"Geez, Link. You really did a number on this guy. Hacking its wing off like that."

"Couldn't get the thing to sit still," he said with a yawn, "Had to get it to calm down somehow."

Midna smirked at his response, and continued searching for the missing mirror shard. She looked all around its backside, and not seeing anything, she decided to lift up the single wing it had left. Glowing brightly at the base of the creature's joint was the reflective mirror piece. She wrapped both of her hands around it and tugged as hard as she could. It sliced open one of her hands a bit, causing her to pull back with a hiss. She stuck the bleeding finger in her mouth and resorted to using her hair-hand to pluck it out. It was then removed easily and she took it into her open palms eagerly.

"Found it," she stated excitedly.

She turned around and noticed that the medicine had knocked her hero clean out – he was even snoring already. She smiled at him, but then she turned back to her discovery. Its glow was almost ethereal in the heavenly sunlight. This was the last piece… the last key to unlocking the gate back to her realm. Finally, she could go back. She could stop Zant from taking over her world. She could free those that were under the false impression that their ruler was one they could no longer trust. She could take back what was rightfully her's…

Finally, Link had helped her to obtain the final piece of the Mirror of Twilight, but she wasn't so sure she was ready to see what awaited her on the other side of it.

* * *

_**The intensity of a situation can be as heavy as the downward pull of the earth.**_

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**A/N: **So, how'd you guys like this chapter? I had so much fun writing out the Argorok battle; it's probably one of my favorites. How did you guys like it? Make sure you leave a review letting me know what you thought! Reading your guys' feedback really keeps me motivated! So keep on motivating me please! :D

**Also,** just to let you know, I've recently finished revising Chapters 1-20, and a few of the earliest ones have been almost entirely rewritten. So if you'd like to give those another read that would be great! I plan on revising all of the chapters as there's almost always typos I miss no matter how many times I go over my work; I just want it to be flawless for you guys!

**One more thing, **for those of you that don't know already, I have a Facebook fan page dedicated solely to my Fanfiction work (primarily this story at the moment) and I would absolutely love to see more of you there! You can find it by typing in my user name or you can go to my Fanfiction profile and I have a link to it on there! You'll get sneak peeks and you'll basically just feel totally awesome! :D

Don't forget to leave a review! 'Til next time, my lovely readers!


	50. Ricochet

**A/N: Oh my gosh, readers, I have so much to say. **First of all, holy crap I'm so sorry about that unexpected THREE MONTH LONG hiatus! I seriously did not intend to keep you guys waiting that long and I sincerely apologize for it.

If you want to know why I was gone so long, here's the short version: my uncle passed away, then a car crashed into the front of my house making it structurally unstable and forcing us to pack up, find a new house, and move everything in one day, then my grandma passed away, and then I caught pneumonia and I've had it going on four weeks now. So... yeah. I just wanted to let you guys know that the only reason I was gone for so long is because my life decided to have everything bad happen at once all of a sudden. I _will_ not leave you guys waiting that long again, and that's a promise (I mean, unless more family members pass away and another car crashes into my house, but I'm hoping that was a once-in-a-lifetime kinda thing).

Thank you guys for being so patient with me. Without further ado, I give you Chapter 50.

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**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 50: Ricochet

**.:.**

When Ooccoo had volunteered to personally fly the hero all the way back down to Hyrule, Link wasn't sure if he should accept or decline.

It would be no small feat; he knew he was not light in weight and he also knew that the distance between the City in the Sky and Hyrule was great. He wasn't entirely sure the bizarre bird-like creature would be able to carry him for the duration of the trip. He also knew, however, that taking the cannon back down to the earth wouldn't necessarily be a good idea in his current condition, either.

Reluctantly, and mostly due to pressure and persistence, the hero gave in and accepted the Oocca's offer. Midna couldn't help but tease him for being so worried, but she truthfully felt a bit apprehensive about it as well.

Knowing that stalling and debating the situation would only make it infinitely more difficult, Link swallowed his doubt and let Ooccoo take him for a ride. Her descent was slow, and about halfway down the sunlight faded into darkness and it became rather hard to see. The hero then began to worry that the bird would land him smack in the middle of Lake Hylia, and he certainly couldn't swim without the use of one of his legs.

Ooccoo was beginning to huff and puff, obviously exhausted from the ordeal as they finally reached the earth. She put the hero down on the small spit of land where the cannon that shot him to the sky city dwelt and plopped down beside him for a moment's respite herself. Eager to return back home, though, she didn't linger, and she was off in a hurry. Link wished her farewell with a thank you where she then argued that _she_ was the one thanking him. He smiled, and his newfound – and very bizarre – friend was off.

Link sat on the grass for a moment grasping at his throbbing leg. Midna could practically read his mind, and she transformed him quickly into a wolf before teleporting him to the spirit's spring at Kakariko Village. She had taken the chance of warping them inside the village due to it being dark in hopes that everyone would be tucked away indoors, and she was correct. She returned him to his human form and he took to it with a wince.

At first, he tried standing on his own, but the attempt was futile. He had hoped he could maybe just hobble his way over to the inn, but he could not. He wasn't nearby any of the buildings or any structures to give him support, and he could only find himself coming up with one idea.

"Midna," he whispered, not yet looking over at her.

"Hm?"

"Would you think of me as less of a hero if I called Epona just to get me the dozen or so feet to the inn?" he asked seriously, now turning to meet her gaze.

She put on a contemplative expression before answering, "Less of a hero? Nah. Less of a man? Yeah, probably."

He gave her a look but he couldn't help but smirk when she began to giggle. He picked up the charm Ilia had made for him from its seat around his neck and he blew into it; he swore the instrument she crafted sounded at least a hundred times better than the blades of grass he used to play Epona's song on.

Before even a single minute could pass, his beloved companion greeted him on the sandy shores of the spring with an overjoyed whinny. He smiled as he pat her snout and whispered in her ear that he was happy to see her. As she nuzzled his chest, she then noticed the unusual state of his leg and she lay all the way down to give him an easier time in grabbing hold of her.

"Thanks girl," he muttered as he grasped the saddle horn and used that to hoist himself up onto his feet. He knew he didn't want to bother actually mounting his steed seeing as it would no doubt be difficult and he would have to turn around and dismount her in only a few moments anyway. No, he just needed her as a support to get him to the inn.

Realizing they weren't going for a ride, Epona stood back up and headed very slowly in the direction her master pointed her. It was a slow trek as the hero had a rather impressive limp, but it didn't take too long seeing as the inn wasn't far away to begin with. Once he was at the door, he gave Epona another loving pat and turned the handle of the entrance to the rundown hotel, being greeted suddenly by the inviting, warm breeze. It was quiet inside; everyone was most likely asleep. Using the walls and banister for support, he made his way sluggishly up the stairs.

The first door he passed was wide open, the room Renado left open for the rare visitor that came to the village. The second door was left slightly ajar, the room in which Renado and Luda rested their heads. He thought about stopping to wake the shaman, but his body was so exhausted and he was having such difficulty in moving that he didn't want to have to do anything more than was necessary – he wanted nothing more than to collapse on his familiar bed. The third door he passed was closed, Ilia's scent wafted out of it just slightly, calming the hero's rapid heartbeat if only by a bit. The fourth door was open but a crack, snoring emanating from it loudly indicating that Talo, Malo, Colin, and Beth were sleeping soundly on the other side. Finally, the fifth and final door at the end of the hallway was left wide open in case their hero should return, and he finally had.

He staggered into the room, using the wall, the dresser, and lastly, the nightstand for support until he was finally able to let himself fall onto the cot. He let out a heavy sigh as his tired body sank into the soft mattress, his muscles no longer tense and his mind at ease. His leg throbbed in pain, and he knew very well that it needed to be treated right away so as to avoid further complications, but he was simply too worn out to call for the healer.

Just as he was going over convincing himself that he needed to get back up and tell Renado that he was in need of his assistance in his mind, he was out cold before he could even finish processing the thought.

Midna, however, knew that his severely mangled leg couldn't wait through the night in fear of it being permanently tweaked – not unlike his arm. She separated herself from his shadow and made her way cautiously into the hall. She found the shaman's room and knocked loudly on the door, forcing him awake with a jolt. She quickly flew back into her hero's room and hid in the darkness as Renado emerged from his chambers. He glanced back to see that his daughter wasn't woken up by the noise, and took a few steps over the threshold to look out into the hallway.

He gazed down the stairs and saw nothing. He turned and looked down toward the end of the hallway and noticed that the room Link typically stayed in looked slightly disheveled. He went there quietly, avoiding waking the children, and spotted none other than the young Ordonian lying unconscious in the bed. It surprised the shaman to see him here; after all, most times it was _he_ who would find him outside and would have to _carry_ him here.

At first glance, Link didn't seem too beaten up, but as he got closer, he could spot the damage. More than anything he simply looked exhausted, both physically and mentally, but he was definitely harboring his fair share of cuts and bruises just the same. He noticed his bandaged leg and took the liberty of investigating - he had come to learn by now never to underestimate what might look meager at first glance with Link. The sight beneath the gauze was grotesque, to say the least, but the healer wasted no time in getting to work.

The hero awoke several times throughout the night due to the uncomfortable treating of his wound by Renado, but he was only half-awake most times and probably couldn't even recall the event come morning. The shaman worked through the late hours of the night, and when dawn came, the children were quick to discover their older brother back in the village.

Their excitement nearly boiled over to see that he had returned, but when Renado broke the news to them that his leg was broken and he wouldn't be able to leave the bed for a while, the kids' hearts sank in unison. They knew they had to do something special for their hero, especially considering a rather important date had passed while he was away – and he probably wasn't even aware of it.

Devising a plan quickly in hopes of completing it before their big brother woke up, everyone quickly got to it. Ilia went downstairs into the kitchen with Luda and began preparing something delicious while the rest of the children ran outside to gather what they needed. They grabbed sticks, leaves, and various other treasures they could find on the dusty terrain before hurrying back inside.

Sometime later, the hero was beginning to open his eyes. There was a dull throbbing in his leg, but other than that he simply felt well rested. He blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes a bit as he fully came to.

"Ah, good morning, my son," Renado greeted soothingly, "I hope you slept well."

He looked over at the shaman who was smiling warmly down at him. The prior events flooded back into his mind, and he answered clearly, "I did."

He pressed his palms against the mattress and pushed himself up so he could sit up and lean against the wall behind the bed. He winced as even the slightest movement sent a sharp pain through his shin, but it quickly faded as he made himself comfortable.

"You seem to have broken your leg," Renado spoke up.

Link sighed, "Yeah, I guess I did, huh?"

"Yes. I was quite shocked to find you lying here late last night, and I was even more shocked to discover just how damaged your right leg was."

Link scratched the back of his head, slightly embarrassed.

"You should have woken me so that I could have tended to you sooner. Din knows how long you were sleeping here before I found you. Let us hope the Goddesses are on your side as you heal, because I, honestly, am not entirely sure you can bounce back from this."

Link met his stern gaze and realized that he was speaking the truth, but it didn't worry him, "I know I will. I'm surprised you doubt me after all this time."

Renado sighed, "I am sorry, my boy, I should not doubt you. I just know what I know, and normally in this situation a person with this kind of break and waiting so long for it to be properly set would not be able to walk on it again. You are correct, however; you are a special case. Either the Goddesses are on your side or your body is simply remarkable at healing itself – or both."

Link smirked, "Let's hope it's both."

Quiet bickering and whispers could suddenly be heard from the other side of the slightly ajar entry to the hero's room. Link glanced over at the shaman with a bit of a perplexed look, realizing that it was the kids but not entirely sure what they were up to.

"The children have been planning something for you."

He furrowed his brow, "For me? Why?"

Before he could answer, the door swung open and Colin stumbled inside after having been pushed by Talo. The door closed behind him and the timid boy cleared his throat, obviously struggling with remembering what it was he was supposed to do.

"Link!" he suddenly began in a rather loud voice, standing tall at the foot of the bed, "We're so glad to have you back! We – uh…" he quickly glanced down at a piece of paper in his hands then back up at his brother, "We have missed you a lot and you were gone on a very important day… So we're gonna make up for that day you missed today! Right now! We put something together that we think will make you happy! We really hope you like it!"

He then bowed low and stepped to the side, making room for the next appearance. Beth came through the door and gave a loud shriek, followed by an unenthusiastic Malo. He had a number of green leaves poorly attached to his face and a stick in his hand.

"Rah. I'm going to get you," he stated plainly.

Beth turned and gave him an angry look, chastising under her breath, "You're supposed to be the mean bad guy! Act mean and bad!"

She whirled back around, pretending that hadn't happened, "Oh no! A mean bad guy is gonna get me!"

"Rah," he stated even more plainly.

Then Talo burst through the door and pointed his play sword at Malo, "I won't let you hurt anyone you mean bad guy! Because I'm Link! The Goddesses like me a whole bunch and I have a pointy sword and a bow and arrow and all kinds of other cool stuff you can't even imagine! I can fight you," he swung his wooden weapon, "And I can hurt you real bad! You don't want me to fight you because I'm Link so that means you can't beat me!"

"Oh, Link!" Beth cried, running to Talo's side, "Please save me from that scary, mean bad guy over there!" she pointed to Malo who looked completely uninterested in the whole situation.

Talo raised his sword higher and stepped forward, "Go home, bad guy! Or else the mighty Link will take you down!"

"Oh no," Malo mumbled monotonously, "What should I do. I will run away so I don't get hurt by the mighty Link," and he walked lackadaisically out into the hallway.

Talo stood tall, placed his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest as Beth chimed, "Oh, thank you brave and awesome Link! You saved the day just like you always do!"

"I know!" Talo proclaimed smugly, "I _am_ pretty awesome, aren't I? After all, I'm the Goddesses favorite person, Link!"

And with that he pointed his sword up high and all the kids were still, clearly awaiting praise. Renado and Link caught on, both with massive grins on their faces as they applauded. Malo reluctantly came back in and the four Ordonian children bowed thankfully.

"Did you like it, Link?" Colin asked heartily.

Link couldn't wipe the smile off his face even if he wanted to, "Yes, of course I did! You all put on a great show."

"But children, you haven't told him what the special day is you've been talking about," Renado reminded.

"Oh yeah!" Beth recalled aloud.

"You mean he forgot his birthday?" Talo muttered.

"TALO!" the kids screamed at him in almost perfect unison.

"Now you've ruined the surprise, moron!" Beth yelped, smacking him on the back of the head.

"Well, excuse me! I didn't think anyone could forget their own birthday! Sheesh!" he replied, trying to defend himself as he crossed his arms over his chest cantankerously.

Link hadn't even heard anything after the word 'birthday.' He really had completely lost track of how much time had been passing since his journey began. The only thing giving him any sort of idea about the time of year was the changing of the seasons, and now that spring was here, it made sense that his birthday had passed while he was in the City in the Sky.

He was eighteen years old now… It seemed so strange. On one hand, it hadn't felt like eight years had passed since the loss of his parents, or that one year had passed since he learned that he was the chosen hero. But on the other hand, it felt like it had been _so_ much longer. He felt so much older than he was, like he had been through centuries of pain and hardship. And yet, he had only endured such turmoil for the actual length of one year.

_The flow of time is always cruel… Its speed seems different for each person, but no one can change it… A thing that doesn't change with time is a memory of younger days…_

He didn't know where it came from, but those words suddenly found their way into his mind, and he found them to make so much sense. Time was a fragile thing, something that no man can stop or pin down, not even the Hero of Time. It continues on, sometimes slow and sometimes fast, sometimes a mixture of the two. He didn't understand why his birthday had affected him so strangely, but it just felt… so much different than any birthday he had experienced thus far in his life.

_A childish mind will turn to noble ambition…_

It didn't feel like a time of celebrating; he didn't feel any kind of excitement about being another year older like he always had in the past. His body and mind felt so much older than they truly were. Perhaps this past year had affected him negatively in more ways than one could spot on the surface. Perhaps he would come to notice the side effects of such prolonged exposure to agony and torment later on in life.

It was a grim thought, but one he had to face nonetheless.

"Look what Ilia and Luda made for you!" Colin exclaimed happily, snapping the hero back to reality.

The two young ladies stepped through the door with smiles on their feminine features. Luda was holding a stack of plates in one hand and a handful of utensils in the other, and Ilia was carrying a large cake on top of her open palms.

"Happy birthday, Link!" Luda chirped with a grin.

Just as Link was about to open his mouth to give his thanks, Colin, Talo, and Beth approached the side of the bed opposite where Renado was sitting.

Colin, being the closest to him, spoke up first, "Um, Link? Before we eat the cake, me and the other kids made you a birthday present."

He began digging around in his pockets when Malo scoffed from the corner of the room and murmured, "More like tried and failed."

"Shut up, Malo," Beth demanded quietly, turning to him and giving him a look.

"He's kinda right," Talo said sounding rather disheartened, "We tried to make you something super awesome, like you are, but we didn't do such a good job.'

Their distraught demeanors were starting to bring Link down, and just as he was about to reassure them, Colin held out the item he was gathering from his pocket. Link opened his hand and the boy dropped it into his open palm. The hero looked down at it. It was a collection of twigs and leaves that the children had gathered from outside. There were various places that were sticky where they had obviously tried to attach the different pieces together to build something but were unsuccessful.

After a moment of silence, Colin began explaining in a bit of a saddened tone, "We were trying to make a figure of Epona… but we couldn't get the twigs to stick together how we wanted them to…" he sighed, "We really wanted to make you something special, Link. When we found out our Epona wasn't gonna work, we put together that little show so we'd at least have _something_ for you. We just really wanted to have something to give you that you could take with you when you're out fighting bad guys… We wanted to give you something to help you think of us and to help you remember to always come back as fast as you can… We messed up though, we're sorry, Link…" he finished as he hung his head in shame, the rest of the kids obviously feeling the same kind of guilt as it showed on the adolescent faces.

Link tried not to chuckle, but he couldn't stifle it. The children looked up at him confusedly.

"You don't need to apologize; there's nothing to be sorry for. You all put together a wonderful show for me that really lifted my spirits. And this," he glanced down at the mess in his hands, "This still means a lot to me, even though it didn't turn out how you guys wanted it to. The fact that you went through the trouble to gather it and even try to make something for me is what makes this special. I'll keep it in my pouch and I'll look at it whenever I need a little motivation when I'm away from you all. But please, don't be sad that you weren't able to make it how you wanted it, because to me, it's perfect."

Colin suddenly grinned as wide as he could and leapt on top of Link's chest for a hug. He grunted upon impact, but smiled and was happy to reciprocate the gesture.

The little boy pulled back, his grin not having diminished even slightly, "You really mean that, Link?"

"Of course I do," he answered simply, turning to see a smiling Ilia as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder after having placed the cake down on the nearby nightstand. The kids stepped back a bit, giving Ilia room to sit beside Link on the bed.

She rested a hand on his chest as she sat next to him on the edge of the cot, "You're an amazing person, Link, and-"

He cut her off as his cheeks began to turn red, "I don't need to hear any more about m-"

She raised a finger to his lips to silence him and continued, "You're such a great role model for these kids, you're a hero for Hyrule, and more simply, you're just a great guy that we all love very much. Even though you're hurt, we're celebrating your birthday and we want you to have a great time. Now, who's ready for cake?"

"ME! Oh Goddesses, ME! ME!" Talo shrieked as he jumped up and down.

Ilia giggled at the boy's display but even more so at Link's reaction to all the compliments. His face was flushed and he was looking down at his hands in his lap. She leaned in and gave him a peck on the cheek as she whispered, "Happy birthday, hero."

He couldn't help but smirk, and he was happy to receive a plate of cake. She apologized for it not being his favorite flavor – pumpkin – considering the gourd did not grow around Kakariko. Link didn't mind one bit though; it was still delicious. It was a lemon cake that everyone was thrilled to devour, and the residents of the dusty village did just that, each one complimenting Ilia's cooking and Luda's assisting all the while.

The kids had put on the show a second time after that, mostly because they simply had fun doing it and the adults got a kick out of it. But around midday, Link had drifted off in the middle of one of their encore performances. The children were sad that the party was over, but Renado explained that the more rest he got, the quicker his leg would heal. That made the kids cheerful, and they headed downstairs to play without a care in the world.

The hero had fallen asleep with the children's birthday present they gave him still resting atop his open palm. Ilia picked up the assortment of nature's treasures and placed it on his bedside table so that he would see it when he awoke. She gave him one last kiss on the cheek before helping the shaman ease the hero's tired body back down into a laying position, and the two gave the young man privacy to sleep.

He slept through most of the day, only waking up for an hour or so around dinner time. Ilia made her famous vegetable pottage for everyone that evening, and she was happy to take Link a bowl in his room and sit beside him as he ate. They didn't really say much, but simply being in the company of one another soothed their hearts more than either one realized. When he was finished, she placed the bowl on the table and combed her fingers through his hair as they chatted a little about unimportant things. Soon though, the hero was lost in dreamland again.

Ilia smiled at how handsome he was, and even more at how cute he was when he slept with his lips just barely parted. She wanted to kiss him then… but she refrained. She ran her hand along his cheek and smiled before picking up the dirty dish and vacating the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Midna couldn't help but escape his shadow and look over him as he slept through the night. She knew he would be alright, but she couldn't help but fret over what the shaman had told him about his leg being injured. Had she bandaged it wrong and made it worse? No… she was just overthinking things. This was _Link_, he would be fine - he said he would; she knew he would.

She noticed that he slept very soundly, more so than she probably had ever seen him sleep before. He must have been more exhausted than she knew. She didn't wake him or make a sound, but she snuggled up next to him on the bed. She knew she couldn't let herself fall asleep or else she would probably be woken up by someone discovering her in the morning, but she just wanted to lay beside him for a bit – that was all she needed.

When morning again drew near, she pulled herself away from him despite her desire to stay, and dove back into the darkness of his shadow.

The days after that came and went in a blur. The hero quickly became bored out of his mind, being unable to leave the bed due to his severely broken leg. The healer came in frequently and looked over his healing injury, noting that he was, indeed, making great progress that astounded him. He had first told Link that it would be almost three months before he would be completely healed enough to return to his journey, but after looking over him each passing day, he dwindled that estimation down more and more. Now he was guessing that it would be around one month before he could resume his fight to restore Hyrule. He said he would be able to get back on his feet in around two weeks, but that he would have to use a crutch to get around. Link didn't care, he just wanted to get back outside; he was tired of being cooped up in this stuffy hotel room.

Days and nights continued to crawl by slowly, and Midna would often come out at night to tease him for being stuck in bed. He would play along, knowing that this teasing was well intentioned as opposed to her earlier bullying. He loved having her around. There was something about her playful, upbeat personality that kept him sane.

When one week's time had passed since he returned to Kakariko Village, Renado proclaimed that the hero had once again proven his diagnosis incorrect. He was well enough to stand with the aid of a crutch, but his leg was still mending and was still very weak, so he was instructed to be doubly careful. He agreed, ecstatic about getting back on his feet again. The shaman produced a tall, wooden support with a flat top that was to go under the arm, and held it out for him. Link got to the edge of the bed, used his left leg and the nightstand for support, stood up, and grabbed the crutch from Renado with his right hand. He placed it under his right arm and with a few practice steps, was able to walk again.

He was overjoyed, as were the children. Making his way down the stairs required a bit of help, and Ilia was right there beside him to provide support. Once they made it outside, Link took in the deepest breath possible, filling his lungs to the brim with the warm, fresh air.

"Good to be out of that room?" the young girl asked, looking up at his calm face.

"_Great_ to be out of that room," he answered with a smile, reaching his left arm up high and stretching his sleeping muscles as he let out a contented sigh.

It was then silent for a moment, the only sound being that of the children running around the middle of the village playing and laughing. This was exciting for them to get to be outside, too, considering they were forced to stay indoors almost all day every day in fear of another attack hitting the village. The shaman made sure to let them go outside on occasion though, and the Gorons were always close by, but it was still frightening and it was something that Renado would not allow them to do very often.

Ilia turned to Link as he watched the kids play, resting now against the railing on the porch just outside the inn with his crutch beside him. He had such a serene look on his features, even though she knew he probably had a million foreboding thoughts running rampant through his mind with what he still had left to do. She admired his courage, his indomitable will; she had so many feelings for this man that she couldn't even pin into words.

The silence was killing her – she decided to end it with the first topic of conversation that came to mind, "So, how does it feel to be another year older?"

He glanced at her, contemplating his answer for only a second, "Just… older, I guess."

She furrowed her brow, "'_Just older_'?"

"I don't feel another year older," he elaborated, "I don't feel as if this past year has been just that. I feel _years_ older. I just feel… old."

She seemed confused, "But, you're still so young. _We're_ still so young – not even twenty yet," she gave a smile, trying to lift his spirits even if only a bit, "How can you feel old when we've, truthfully, barely even lived?"

"Because I _have_ lived, Ilia," he stated firmly before turning to her, "I've seen more than most men that have reached their hundredth birthday. I've done more than just the same. I've been through so much in this past year since I learned of my fate that it's aged me."

He noticed her strangely saddened expression and turned away from her, looking back at the children, "I don't mean to sound cynical or angry over what I've been through… because I'm not. I'm just trying to explain to you how I feel," he sighed, "I know you probably can't understand."

"I can't understand what you mean when you talk about what you've seen or done, just because I don't know what you've seen or done," she began, getting his attention again as he turned back to her, "But I _can_ understand your words. I understand when you say this turmoil has aged you. I understand when you say you feel older than you are. When my mother died… I was only seven… but after it happened I was forced to grow up and be much older than I really was. I had to be there for my father who was an emotional wreck after she was gone. Even though I was still a kid and I certainly didn't feel '_old_' like you're saying you feel now, I can relate to what you're saying… just on a smaller scale."

He gave her the crooked smile she had become so used to seeing lately. It was one he put on when he either didn't feel like smiling but forced himself to, or when he genuinely wanted to smile but his aching heart prevented it. Of course, he would sometimes display his half-smile when he was being silly or teasing, but she could always tell the difference by the look in his eyes. The dejectedness in his deep blue irises told her that this time it was the former.

"Thank you, Ilia," he said at last before abandoning her gaze for a final time.

Renado came out of the inn sometime later and called everyone back inside due to it being dangerous to linger outdoors. They obliged and Ilia was quick to get started on dinner while Link was quick to head back to bed. Even though he had been so eager about getting out of that room previously, it was tiring keeping himself up with only the use of one leg and a crutch, and he was keen on going back to sleep in hopes of more quickly passing the time.

The days and nights continued to pass on sluggishly after that, much like they had before. Link was growing irritable and impatient as he lay on the cot thinking about all that he had left to do. He needed to go and check on the Resistance; he was so worried that there might have been an attack like Rusl was mentioning. Renado had told him that Shad had headed back to Hyrule Castle Town shortly after he left to the sky city, and he needed to speak with him about what happened as he was sure he would have questions about the Sky Cannon and a hundred other things. He then had to reassemble the mirror and take the throne of Midna's realm away from Zant. Then… he had to take down Ganondorf.

Sitting around in a bed for weeks on end felt stupid – it felt _selfish_ when considering everything that was going on in Hyrule at present. He hated wasting time away like this. He hated that he got himself injured again and had to throw away so much precious time. Time was one thing he couldn't get enough of. To him, it felt like the longer he waited the more people would get hurt, the more land would get destroyed. To him, it felt like because he was careless more had to suffer, and it was his fault.

His gloom followed him into the next week, and the next, and Renado noticed that he wasn't healing as rapidly as he had been previously. He noticed that he had fallen into some sort of a depression, but he wasn't sure how to get him out of it. He had the kids come in and play around him, talk to him, and make him laugh, but as soon as they left he was right back to how he was prior to their visit. The shaman supposed it was just something that he couldn't do anything about, and he detested that fact.

Link had actually stopped getting up and walking around as well. He stopped going outside, and stopped getting out of the bed except for when absolutely necessary. Renado told him that it would be good for him and the healing of his leg if he walked around a bit. He told Link he was going to almost have to entirely re-teach his right leg how to walk again, and that the more he got up and did just that, the sooner he would be back on his feet – without the crutch.

Those words gave him the motivation to do what the healer instructed – the idea of being able to continue his journey after what felt like an eternity.

He found when he got to his feet that his leg felt much stronger than it did the week before. He was getting better, and he was now more determined than ever to get this over with. That entire day, from dawn until dusk, he walked. He wasn't walking anywhere, really, he was just walking. He walked around the inn, around the village, and even out into the field a bit where he shot down a few Bokoblins in the distance with his bow and arrow that looked like they were up to no good. The next day, and the day after that, he did the same thing. And finally, Renado declared that his leg was well enough to walk on.

"It will still be weak for quite some time, so don't push yourself too hard, but you should definitely be able to walk on your own now," the shaman affirmed to an all-too-excited hero.

He practically leapt out of the bed, his weight on his still-healing shin causing him to buckle a bit. Renado grabbed his forearm as he stumbled and helped to stabilize him. He smirked and gave the healer a 'thanks.'

Resting his hand on the edge of the bed post for a moment, he prepared himself to walk on his right leg for the first time in nearly a month without any support. He took a step away and staggered a bit, but he managed to keep himself up. A few more steps and his tired leg was beginning to re-learn how it felt to hold up the weight of his body. Link realized immediately after taking the first _real_ steps on his own without stumbling just how much weaker his right leg felt when compared to his left.

"You're right," the hero said as he turned back to Renado, "My leg feels like jelly."

"See? That is why I say you must be extra careful. If I could have my way, I would have you stay here a bit longer just so I can make sure that you are still progressing, but I know you well enough by now, my son. I know it is important that you check on Rusl and the others at the bar; I know it has been plaguing you. I also know you have other things you must see to that you are fretting over. I need not know what they are, but I trust that you will respect your body's limits and not push yourself too hard. Am I correct?"

Link nodded sincerely, "Yes. I won't work my leg too hard. I'm going to ride Epona to Castle Town and I'll get some more rest while I'm there."

Renado smiled a small smile, "I'm glad to hear it. Give Rusl and the others my best while you are there, hm?"

"I will. Thank you, Renado. For everything," and he did something then that he had not done before. He reached his arms out and gave the shaman a warm hug. Renado couldn't help but grin at the heartfelt gesture.

"You're welcome, my lad. We are always here for you in this village, and we will continue to be, long after this is all over."

They separated and Link said again, "Thank you, Renado. I'll see you again soon."

"Hopefully it will be under better circumstances next time, my son?"

Link chuckled, "I'll try."

* * *

_**To bounce back when you've been knocked down.**_

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**A/N:** I wish that after that long of a wait I could have given you guys a longer chapter, but that was just the perfect place to end it. I also know that after such a long wait this chapter wasn't a very exciting welcome back, so I'm sorry but the content in this chapter was important.

I wanna thank you guys again for being patient with me and I just want you all to know that I'm so dedicated to this story that you don't ever need to worry if I'll update again or not. Sometimes life just gets absolutely crazy and messes everything up, but I'm hoping my bad luck has run out and I should definitely be back to updating regularly again.

Thank you guys for continuously reviewing. Constantly getting reviews coming in every other day kept reminding me that I have readers awaiting me, and it motivated me to get this done even though I'm still sick. Thank you guys for always being awesome and I'm thinking I should have the next chapter up pretty soon because I'm super excited for it! We're gonna learn about Midna's past! But shhh... it's a secret to everyone!

Make sure to leave me a review and let me know what you thought! 'Til next time! (It'll be much sooner, promise!) :)


	51. Mirror, Mirror

**A/N: Hey guys! **A much faster update this time, so yay! I hope you guys love this chapter because I had so much fun with it! (Especially the Midna part!) Enjoy!

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 51: Mirror, Mirror

**.:.**

The travel back to Castle Town wasn't horrible, even despite his weak leg, mostly due to the fact that he was able to ride Epona the majority of the way there. The sun had begun to set behind the tallest tower of the castle just as he crossed over the cobblestone bridge leading into the masses.

The worry he had harbored over Rusl's previous presumption that the town might be in danger appeared to be fruitless. Everyone carried about their lives without a care in the world; it didn't seem like anything bad had befallen Castle Town – everything seemed perfectly normal, and that put his heart at ease.

Making his way through the town with the dense crowds proved to be a bit of a challenge as even the slightest push from an insensitive citizen caused his weak knee to buckle, but he found himself at Telma's bar relatively quickly as he had long since memorized the shortest path there. The strong scent of liquor greeted him upon entry along with the loud chatting of various patrons who were quickly becoming more and more intoxicated. He didn't understand how people could drink so much of the revolting liquid; he had just never found the taste to be to his liking.

"Link, honey!" Telma's booming voice caught Link's attention.

He smiled and headed over to her as she said, "Shad told me Ilia got her memory back! Is that true?"

He nodded joyfully, "It is."

"Oh, sweet pea, that's wonderful news! Probably the best news I've heard in a long time! You give that precious girl a hug from me next time you see her, got that?"

He nodded again, "I will."

"Link!" a sudden voice from the familiar corner of the bar called out.

Link turned and noticed Rusl motioning for him to come over, and with a nod from the proprietress, he obliged.

Taking his usual seat beside his father figure, Rusl greeted, "How fares the hero life, my boy?"

Link shrugged as he got comfortable, "Same as ever, really."

Shad suddenly sat up, leaning forward over the table as he said rather enthusiastically, "Oh, Link, how I have awaited your return! I have been so anxious to hear all about your journey to the heavens! Did you find the famous city? Did you get to meet the Oocca?"

This was it, Link thought; he had to make a quick decision on whether or not telling Shad about the City in the Sky and its inhabitants was a good one. On one hand, he didn't want to tell the group that he hadn't found anything in the clouds because he knew they wouldn't let Shad live it down that his life's studies had been proven futile. But on the other hand, he didn't want to tell the group that he _had_ found something because he knew that Shad would want to visit the city that very moment, and Link wasn't so sure he wanted to be responsible for such an ancient mystery becoming well-known. He didn't want to be the reason for such a sacred place becoming overrun with curious people and taking the chance on it being desecrated.

"I, well," he thought hastily, "I didn't… unfortunately."

He could read the utter disbelief and disappointment on the young scholar's face like a book. After a moment, he furrowed his brow as if arguing with himself internally and sat back in his chair as he uttered, "There was… nothing at all?"

Link hated to let him down, and he thought that perhaps he could tell Shad the truth at a later time; he just simply couldn't divulge such a secret right now, "I'm sorry."

Shad heaved a sigh, "It's alright, old chap. It isn't your fault my studies were incorrect. I must apologize to you for leading you on a wild goose chase."

That made him feel even worse. Link shook his head, "That isn't necessa-"

"I told you there wasn't some magical race living up in the clouds, Shad," Ashei laughed, "When will you start listening to me for a change?"

Shad said not a word.

"I mean, for Din's sake, you've been going on about those stupid Oocca creatures for as long as I've known you! Now you can finally give it a rest, yeah?"

He remained silent and avoided eye contact as he stared at his hands in his lap.

She scoffed when he still uttered not a sound, "No argument now, huh? Figures. When you're finally proven wrong you have nothing to say, but whenever I'm wrong you can rub it in my face for weeks."

"Ashei," Auru said, hinting at her that she was taking it a bit far.

"Don't '_Ashei_' me. He does this to me all the time and none of you stick up for me! He puts me down and makes me feel stupid constantly, yeah? He loves proving me wrong, and now I finally get that chance."

Just as Link was feeling as guilty as he possibly could and when he was beginning to consider just telling the group the truth to end the bickering, Shad opened his mouth before he could.

"I'm sorry, Ashei."

Her eyes went wide and her jaw fell slack, "Wait… what did you just say?"

"I said I'm sorry. If I truly do all of those things you mentioned… then I apologize."

She was silent and completely rendered wordless. He had never been one to be humble, or to take the blame for anything, so for him to sincerely apologize was strange. She wouldn't say it, but it truly meant a lot to her.

"I – uh," she stammered.

"Ashei at a loss for words?" Rusl chuckled, "Well, Shad, I think you have achieved the impossible."

Whether she had heard him and just decided to ignore his words or if she had been so deep in thought that she didn't even realize he had spoken was unclear, but her eyes did not leave those of the scholar's for what felt like hours before she realized that everyone was waiting for her to say something. She cleared her throat and sat back in her seat when she noticed everyone's eyes on her.

"Um, thanks… for that," she said at last, eager to finish up the subject and move the conversation along as the looks the others were giving her were starting to get on her nerves.

"You're blushing, Ashei," Auru astutely pointed out.

Her hands instantly went to her cheeks for a brief moment before she reached over and smacked the older man harshly in the shoulder and squealed, "Shut up, Auru! I am not!"

Link noticed Shad smirking as he sipped his mead, and the hero couldn't help but smile himself – the two clearly harbored deeper feelings for one another beneath the surface that neither would ever admit to if asked.

"Can we talk about something other than me now? Yeah? Okay, great! Thanks!" she blurted, not helping her case as Rusl and Auru continued chuckling to themselves at her overreaction.

"Alright, alright," the Ordonian finally gave in, deciding to give the girl a break, "We'll stop, Ashei."

She ignored them as she drank her cold beverage.

"With that out of the way…" Auru gave one final snicker on the previous subject before changing it to something different, "If the sky city idea fell through, what have you been up to for the past few weeks?"

"Um, well," Link thought quickly, "Just trying to figure out what I need to do next, really, and resting."

Saying that didn't make him feel as bad – after all, it wasn't _really_ a lie.

"If the sages told you that you were to go to the heavens, though, then don't you think you need to find a way to get there so that you can discover whatever it is they were leading you there to find?" Shad advised.

"I think I've done everything involving 'the heavens' that was necessary," Link answered vaguely and hurriedly continued so as to distract them from his reply, "I have to travel back to the desert next."

"Back to the desert?" Auru parroted with a furrowed brow.

Link nodded.

"I thought you had already accomplished everything that needed to be done at the haunted grounds?" Rusl asked.

"Not necessarily. When I was there last, I found something…" he tried to find a fitting word that wouldn't give away too much, "…_otherworldly_ that requires more of my attention."

Rusl seemed confused, but he had learned by now not to question his son too much since he had become the hero – the older man knew that there was much about Link's journey that he had yet to discover or understand, "Well, if you must go you must go. When do you intend to leave?"

"First thing in the morning."

"Then you at least have the night to rest," Auru said.

Link nodded before something else that had been pestering him while he had been away resurfaced, "I take it Castle Town was unharmed when you returned?" he asked, facing Rusl.

"For the most part, yes," he answered strangely.

Link seemed perplexed.

Ashei added, "There's been lots of random encounters with monsters here and there. Only ever a handful at a time, but it's still a problem, yeah? Makes me wonder where the stupid soldiers are during these times. I mean, Din only knows what's going on inside the castle with that weird magical barrier around it. For all we know all manner of monsters and fiends could be gathering in there, planning their next move."

"Those were my thoughts exactly, Ashei," Rusl concurred, "We've been successful in stopping the few mindless attacks that have happened so far, but what has been occurring here hasn't been even close to the same scale as what's been happening in Kakariko."

"My estimation is that, perhaps, the enemy sees Kakariko as an easy target. There are very few inhabitants and they may think that if they can claim it for their own it would show us that they are growing ever more powerful," Shad explained.

"I fear you may be right," Auru said, "I only hope that the children of your village and the others that live there stay safe. You said the Gorons are helping to protect them, right?"

"Yes," Rusl nodded, "That is the only reason I was comfortable with leaving, otherwise I would have stayed there to safeguard them, but I trust that the Gorons are plenty capable of keeping the monsters at bay."

"I kind of think that they might be waiting until their forces are strong enough to attack Castle Town," Ashei chimed in, "Do you think that the few random guys they sent in to attack us were like… I don't know, test runs? You know, to see if anyone would fight back?"

"That is a very good insight, Ashei," Shad thought aloud, his chin resting in his hand as he leaned forward and placed his elbow on the table, "Perhaps they were under the assumption that no one would stand up against them, and now that they know we will not stand idly by and tolerate their attacks, they are preparing for the true assault behind the barricade."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Rusl said, "But we will be ready for them should such a thing come to pass."

A silence befell the group for some time then, each one contemplating the possible grim future that awaited them all. Easily reading his comrades faces and eager to change the subject to something much less disparaging, Rusl spoke up.

"So, I heard that you were able to restore our dear Ilia's memory?"

Link smiled, "With the help of Renado, yeah."

"That is such great news to behold in such dark times," Rusl returned the smile, "I also received a letter from Colin telling me of what the children were planning to do for you upon your return. I assume you know what I'm referring to?"

Link chuckled as he recalled the event, "Yes. It was definitely a pleasant and much needed surprise."

"He also mentioned in his letter that it was going to be your birthday present from all of them, and as I read those words I instantly felt like the worst person in all of Hyrule because, honestly, I had forgotten about it."

Link shrugged it off, "Don't feel bad, Rusl, I even forgot about it myself."

"Well, happy belated birthday, old chap! How old does that make you now?" Shad inquired.

Link actually had to pause a second to think, "Eighteen."

"Ahh…" Shad began, "A fine age! Why, I remember my eighteenth birthday as if it were yesterday! You see, I-"

"You say that like your eighteenth birthday was so long ago," Auru chuckled, "What was it, really? Last year?"

"I'll have you know it was actually a _few_ years ago – three to be exact," Shad stated matter-of-factly.

Auru raised his hands, pretending he was taken aback, "Oh! Well then, my apologies."

As they went back and forth arguing over youth and wisdom and laughing with one another, Link couldn't help but find himself lost in thought again. Although, this time, he found himself wondering something… if he had been off on his adventure and missed his own birthday, how many other birthdays had he been absent for? He had surely missed Fado's birthday as he remembered that it was only a couple weeks before his own, but what about the children's birthdays? For them, growing another year older was still the most exciting thing at their age, and he hated to think that he wasn't present for any of their birthdays.

The passage of time had become so jumbled in his head. He sat in silence, deeply concentrating on the time of year each child would be considered another year older, and he began to realize he had surely missed every single one of them. Beth and Talo celebrated their birthdays in fall, while Colin and Malo celebrated their birthdays in winter along with Rusl. Uli's was in spring, right around this time of year, and Ilia's would be coming up very soon at the start of summer.

That was when he realized… he was actually about to miss a second birthday for some of them if he didn't hurry up and finish what he set out to do. His journey began in spring the year prior, and it was already almost summer again. He sighed inwardly; this task that was destined to him had uprooted his life in more ways than he could have realized at first. Celebrating the kids' sixth, ninth, tenth, and twelfth birthdays respectively was something that could never be made up to them. Malo would never turn six again, Colin would never turn nine again, Talo would never turn ten again, nor would Beth ever turn twelve again.

What bothered him the most wasn't necessarily that he had been absent during their birthdays, but that he had forgotten all about them and that he hadn't even wished them a '_happy birthday_' upon his return. He couldn't help but be furious with himself.

"Are you alright, Link? You aren't hurt again, are you?" Rusl asked sincerely, turning to his son with seriousness in his eyes.

Link shook his head, "No, I'm alright. I was just thinking is all."

Rusl didn't seem convinced, "Alright… if you're sure."

He nodded, "Yeah. I… I think I'm just going to head to bed."

"So early? We haven't even gotten to have a toast for your birthday yet, yeah?" Ashei said.

"That's alright," he said as he stood from his chair, "I'm pretty ti-"

"No, Ashei's right! Let's get him a drink and we'll celebrate his birthday right!" Rusl shouted.

Link tried to decline, but they were persistent.

"Telma!" Auru bellowed, "Get this lad something heavy, will you?"

"Yeah! Get him one of your Hylian lagers!" Ashei yelled with a laugh, "That'll be sure to clean him out!"

"Rusl," Link whispered to his father, "We don't need to do this, really, I'll just go to be-"

"Nonsense!" Rusl replied, "You only turn eighteen once, my boy! Let's celebrate it!"

Telma then approached the table with the handles of three mugs wrapped around the fingers of one hand and two around the other as she said, "Now I hope ya'll aren't planning on getting my innocent little Link here into trouble."

"Of course not!" Ashei responded with a smug look on her face as she helped the barmaid hand out the drinks.

"Mm hmm," Telma hummed knowingly, "You better not compromise that sweet boy's reputation!"

"Relax, Telma," Auru said, "He's only having this one drink."

"All I know is I'm holding you four personally responsible if anything goes wrong over here," she said at last with a playful smirk before taking her leave.

"Come on, Link, sit back down!" Rusl demanded.

"I really should just head to bed," Link muttered.

"Come on, old boy!" Shad added, "Nothing wrong with a bit of fun for your birthday!"

"Aw, what's the matter?" Ashei chided teasingly, "Goddesses' chosen hero too chicken to have a drink?"

Just as he was about to give his final answer and head upstairs, a swift kick to the back of his good knee from his shadow gave him the extra push he needed.

He smirked as he sat back down, "Me? Too chicken?" he said, playing along, "No way."

"That's the spirit!" Auru applauded, passing the hero's drink across the table to him.

"A toast!" Rusl began, holding his mug high above the center of the table where everyone else soon followed suit.

"To a stupendous young man with the greatest heart in all of Hyrule Kingdom!" Shad started.

"To a selfless lad with a courageous and unbreakable spirit!" Auru added.

"To a real _hero_," Ashei added simply, her mere few words recognizing him as such meaning so much coming from her lips; he couldn't help but blush at all the compliments.

"To my son, the bravest and most caring person Hyrule has ever seen," Rusl said, "Even though this is merely your eighteenth birthday and most would still look upon that age as still being a child, I see nothing less than a man before me. You have surpassed my every want and dream for you when you came into my family, and I am so happy that you did. Every life you touch seems to be changed for the better, and I could not be prouder to be able to call you my son. To Link! Not only a hero, but a truly great man!"

"Here, here!" Shad chimed at the last before everyone hit their mugs together and began chugging their beverages.

Only seconds later, Rusl slammed his glass down on the table signifying that he was done, followed by Ashei, Auru, Shad, and a few extra moments later, Link. He had a bit of a grimace on his face as he wiped his mouth dry with the back of his forearm.

"How was it, my boy?" Rusl asked, placing a hand firmly on Link's shoulder.

After taking a minute to choke down what had been remaining in his throat, he answered, "I think I'll stick to milk from now on."

The group erupted into good-hearted laughter before Auru exclaimed, "At least you were willing to try!"

Link smiled, "Yeah, and I… I really appreciate what you guys said in the toast. It really means a lot to me that you all think so highly of me. I'm not sure I deserve it, but I appreciate it nonetheless."

"Don't be stupid!" Ashei blurted, "If you didn't deserve it, we wouldn't say it, yeah? In case you haven't noticed, I'm not always the nicest person-"

"You don't say?" Shad said in mock surprise.

Ashei gave him a look, "Ha. Ha. Very funny, Shad. As I was saying, I'm not always the nicest person, so I'm not just gonna give you a compliment if I don't mean it. Same goes for the rest of them, too. We all meant what we said. You're a rare find nowadays, and we – well, all of Hyrule, really – needs someone like you during these times, yeah? We just wanted to give you the heads up that we recognize everything that you're doing and we know it means something. We know you're working your ass off and you deserve some credit for it."

Link smiled warmly, "Thank you, Ashei. That really means more to me than you know."

"Well, let's not get mushy," she said, casting a return smile his way that no one else caught on to, "Let's have some more drinks!"

A couple more hours ticked away of much needed laughter and relaxation before Link finally decided that it really was time for him to hit the hay. He was asleep almost before he could even hit the pillow, and he slept soundly all through the night. The morning rays of the sun peaked in through the window of his room not too much later, and like always, he was up with the sun and preparing to leave.

He strapped on his gear and his boots, all the while his shadow remaining abnormally silent. He knew she was wary of what would happen once they assembled the mirror, but he was surprised at just how much it was affecting her. What did she expect would happen?

Luckily, crossing the entire desert was something they did not have to do this time around. They had found a warp portal at the very top of the ancient prison on their last visit, and they used it now to teleport themselves there swiftly and easily.

Upon their arrival, the mirror began to piece itself together of its own accord. The fragments floated out of Midna's grasp and into their respective places on the empty frame. The mirror, once again made whole, began glowing a bright, white light, and the chains surrounding a nearby slab of stone vanished into nothing. With the rock no longer being suspended, it crashed into the sand with a loud thud, shaking the ground violently and causing the hero to stumble a bit as it did so. The mirror angled itself so that it was facing the stone head on, and a blinding light emanated from the glass surface onto that of the rock face. The massive, stone pillar suddenly lit up with the same light that was spilling forth from the mirror, and in the center was a circle with dozens of unreadable symbols within it. In the blink of an eye, the once-flat surface of the stone became three-dimensional, and the center caved in as if it led to another world.

"Some call our realm a world of shadows, but that sounds unpleasant…" Midna's quiet voice could suddenly be heard beside him, but he was mesmerized by the gateway before him, "The twilight there holds a serene beauty… You have seen it for yourself as the sun sets on this world."

He turned to face her, her eyes narrow and a bit glazed over as if deep in thought as she continued.

"Bathed in the light, all people were pure and gentle. But things changed once that foul power pervaded the world."

She seemed to grow angry with her last words, and just as Link was about to say something, a voice from behind them cut him off.

"It was all our doing…"

They turned to be greeted with the solemn faces of the sages.

"We overestimated our abilities as sages and attempted to put an end to Ganondorf's evil magic…" another elaborated.

"I hope you can find it in yourself to forgive our carelessness…" another added.

When they bowed their heads deeply before them, Link became a bit confused, but when they all said their next words in unison, he was even more confused.

"O Twilight Princess."

Link turned to her as soon as the words sunk in; what did they mean '_Twilight Princess_'? Clearly they weren't referring to him, so that meant Midna was…

She sighed and seemed a bit embarrassed, avoiding her partner's gaze at all costs, "What? So… you knew?" she asked the sages.

But they vanished just as quickly as they had appeared, and they were gone before she could get an answer. After a moment, she turned to meet Link's perplexed stare.

"What did they mean… '_Twilight Princess_'?" he asked with a furrowed brow.

She gave another faint sigh as she let herself sink down to the hard floor beneath them, realizing that it was high time she let her hero know what she had been keeping from him all this time and that it was going to take a while. He followed suit, getting comfortable on the golden colored bricks on the ground.

"As a ruler who fled her people, I'm hardly qualified to still be called as such," she feigned a dark, sarcastic laughter as she mumbled to herself, "Where do I even begin…"

"From the beginning," Link answered simply.

She glanced up at him, an eagerness to learn more about her clearly present in his deep blue eyes. She averted her gaze back down to her lap before continuing.

"Well, I'm… a princess. My mother and father were the rulers of the Twilight Realm. Our land was prosperous and the people were happy… until Zant changed. He had always been there; he was always in the royal house working beneath us so we never expected anything to go wrong, we never expected him to become what he did… My father ruled alone for quite a many years because my mother…" she sniffled, battling with the tears that so desperately wanted to escape her lashes, "…my mother passed away when I was thirteen. I was never really close with my father, and then when Zant turned evil, he… he killed my father for the throne…" by then, the tears were free flowing and she didn't even care if Link saw anymore.

He didn't know what to say. He was shocked at learning that the girl he had become so close to was actually a princess, and at the fact that she had lost both of her parents just as he had. He hung his head as a quiet sigh escaped his lips, wishing more than anything that he could make her pain go away.

"I tried to stand up to him when I found my father lying dead on the throne room floor. I yelled and screamed at him, but it only made him angrier. He came at me, I tried to stand up for myself… but I was too weak… He decided not to kill me; he said he wanted me to suffer more but I think it's just because he knew he needed to keep one of the royal family alive in order to find the Fused Shadow. I guess he figured I would be easier to persuade than my father. So, he left me alive, and cursed me to this form," she explained, gesturing to herself, "He cursed me into this grotesque little imp so that I would have no power. No one would listen to me like this. I was ashamed and embarrassed, so I ran… I took the single piece of the shattered Fused Shadow that I kept, my helm that I wear, and I fled my people like a coward."

"Midna," Link interjected, trying to get her to stop referring to herself in such a negative manner, but she ignored him.

"In my world, we've long believed that the Hero would appear as a divine beast. That's why when I found you I thought I could use you, Link. And I only cared about returning my world to normal… I didn't care what happened to the world of light, not at all," she re-met his gaze as she continued, "But after witnessing the selfless lengths that Princess Zelda and you have gone to… Your sacrifices… I now know, in the bottom of my heart, that I must save this world, too. There is no other way."

Link simply gave a slow nod, signifying that he understood.

"I'm so sorry for using you, Link, and for keeping all of this from you for so long, I just… wasn't sure how you'd take it…"

"I understand, and it's alright. I'm glad you waited to tell me until you were ready; I wouldn't have wanted to make you uncomfortable. I know how it feels to lose your parents, and I know that it takes a while to open up to someone about it."

"I hate myself for the way my mother died!" she shouted, suddenly in hysterical sobs, "It was my fault… And I hate myself for being so closed off from my father… Now he's dead and I don't even remember what my last words to him were!" she cried as she buried her face in her hands.

He gave her a moment to grieve without bothering her; he could relate to such pain and he could recall that sometimes it was necessary to just simply cry and let it all out without someone constantly comforting you. Besides, if Zant had killed her father like she claimed, that probably meant that it had only happened a short time before they met in the dungeon of Hyrule Castle when he was a wolf – she most likely hadn't even truly had any time to properly mourn.

"I'm just… so disgusted with myself," she dropped her hands down to her lap, "I was a horrible daughter and a horrible ruler… I caused my mother's death, practically sat by idly during my father's, and I completely abandoned my people in their time of need. Why should they even have me as their queen after all this? If I was a citizen and my princess acted as I've acted, I know I wouldn't want such a disaster of a girl to become my queen. I just… hate myself and everything I've done…" she hung her head in shame, tears billowing from her thick lashes and landing with tiny splashes on the tops of her knees.

Link grabbed her hand in his as he leaned closer and said, "You have been my best friend and companion for the past year. You've held me together when I've been too close to falling apart. You've kept me alive when I was too close to death. You've been there through it all even though, truthfully, you could have left a long time ago. Sure, we might have started off on the wrong foot and we certainly had our arguments, but we've both grown and become better because of it. I find it hard to believe that you were a horrible daughter, because it sounds to me like you loved your parents very much. I find it even harder to believe that you were a horrible ruler, because it sounds to me like your people are very dear to you," he wrapped his second hand over her's along with his first, staring deep into her eyes and letting her know that he meant every word, "Everyone runs away sometimes. I understand your disappointment in doing so, but, honestly, what would staying have gotten you? You couldn't have gained the power and ability to save your people without leaving. And if you hadn't left, we never would have met."

She gave him a weak smile at that last bit.

"I see so much in you, and I know that you'll be an amazing queen when the time comes, we just have to take back your throne first. Are you ready?" he finished with a warm smile.

Her grin dissipated a bit, turning slightly away as she said, "Actually, there's more I wanted to say…"

Link released her hand and sat back, indicating that he was ready and willing to continue listening.

"You wanted to know what the poe showed me back in the Arbiter's Grounds… right?"

He gave her a bit of a solemn look, "If it's too painful, Midna, don't wor-"

"No," she shook her head, "It's alright. I think it might be better to get it off my chest."

She looked to him for the go-ahead, and he gave it to her straight away.

"Well, um…" she cleared her throat and wiped a bit of the wetness from her face with the back of her hand, "I saw a lot of things… I saw my people, the Twili, dying at the hands of Zant. They were telling me that it was my fault and that I had failed them as a ruler. I saw my father slowly dying where Zant had murdered him, telling me that I would never live up to what he and my mother had built up. I saw my mother… mangled and bloody, just how she looked when she died, crawling towards me… screaming that it was my fault she died… that I would be the reason the Twilight Realm fell into ruin…" she looked away, a deep sorrow in her eyes and yet, she wasn't crying like she had been before.

Link glanced down at his dirty boots before looking back up at her and responding with a simple, "I'm sorry, Midna…"

She wiped away a single tear that was trying to escape, "It's alright. I know none of it was real and I know it isn't true… I know that my mother and father loved me very much and that they would never say such things… It's just an image I've never been able to get out of my head."

"I understand how you feel," Link said despondently, "I haven't been able to forget what I saw that day, either."

"I guess what that stupid poe said right before it died was true, huh? Something like, '_the stain on your soul will never wash out_'?" she chuckled grimly, "I've never heard a truer statement."

She was hoping that that would get a slight smile out of her hero, but now, for some reason, he was looking more disheartened than she was.

"Hey… I didn't mean to stir up old feelings or whatever. You aren't starting to rethink what the poe showed you, are you?" she asked earnestly.

He shook his head, "No, it's not that. I was just wondering something but I'm not sure if it would be right of me to ask."

She knew what he meant without even a second thought, "You want to know how my mother died."

He simply stared at her for a moment, slightly surprised that she knew what he wanted to ask, but then again, he knew that she knew him inside and out by now, "If you don't want to talk about it-"

"It's alright. It's been a few years since then and I've been able to heal… I can tell you about it," she cleared her throat and closed her eyes for a moment that felt like an eternity, bringing her mind back to that day several years ago, "I remember that day so clearly… I had wanted to go and visit the outskirts of the Twilight Realm because I had heard a few of the Twili around our village talking about a vicious monster preying on anyone that came too close. I was young and stupid, and I thought that maybe I could go and kill the monster and I'd be popular amongst my friends and a hero in the town. I asked my mother if I could go and she obviously told me I couldn't, but… I went anyway."

She paused briefly, and Link could see clearly where this was going.

"I snuck out a few hours later and walked all the way out into the middle of nowhere by myself. I had my father's sword and an ego the size of Lake Hylia," she scoffed, "I was such a dumb kid… I went out there and yelled for the monster to come out and face me. Not to my surprise, it did, but to my surprise, it really was just what everyone had been calling it: a monster. It couldn't compare to some of the things you've defeated, but it was huge and mean and nasty. I screamed like the little girl I was and started running for home. I barely even made it a few steps before the giant creature tripped me up with one of its four legs. It looked almost like the wolfos from your world now that I think about it, but it was much bigger. I screamed and like a flash before my eyes, I suddenly saw my mother come rushing in to protect me. She grabbed my father's sword from beside me and told me to stay back as she ran up and stabbed the beast. I heard yelling from behind me and saw my dad quite a ways away, trying to catch up…"

She sighed, "But he couldn't make it in time. My mom was able to get a few good hits in, but the monster was too strong for her. It swiped a clawed paw across her chest and sent her flying a dozen feet away… I yelled for her and ran up to her; my father was there by then and could easily take down the beast. I cried as I leaned over her because I knew… I knew she wasn't gonna make it – she was just losing too much blood… I guess most people that don't understand a parent's love could say she was stupid for charging in first when she knew she couldn't take the monster and survive and she knew that my dad could… But I understand. She loved me so much that if it meant throwing herself in front of me to distract the beast long enough until my father could reach me… she would do it, and she did."

Midna glanced up at Link who was staring back at her intently before she continued with a deep breath, "That's why my father and I never got along after that. He held me responsible for her death… and I can't say I blame him… but we should have been able to come together after that. I mean, when she died, all we had was each other. We had no other family and we had no true friends being royalty… but I guess he just… never got over her death and I think he hated me for it every day, until his last. I remember running into the throne room after hearing the shrieks of the handmaidens, and I saw him there… lying before his throne with tears in his eyes as he looked at me. I tried to run to him, but Zant stopped me. My father and I hadn't spoken for Din knows how long before that, but the last thing I saw before Zant dragged me outside was his lips mouthing the words, '_I love you_…' and he was gone…"

When she looked back up at Link that time, he looked completely and utterly heartbroken. It was almost as if he was hearing the story of his own life, not the story of another's because he was so hurt by it. He seemed so deeply affected by it that Midna was slightly confused.

"Link… are you alright?" she questioned as she inched a bit closer to him, "I didn't think that story would upset you so much."

He shook his head and gave her a faint smile to try and sell his next words, "I'm fine, really. I just hate to hear that you suffered… or that you are suffering. I hate to hear about all that Zant has put you through, and it just…" he clenched his fists in his lap, "I want, now more than ever, to end him. Before, I didn't really think he had done anything of significance. I thought of him as nothing more than Ganon's puppet, and I almost felt _bad_ for having to face him. But now that I hear everything he's done to you… I want to see him suffer just as you have."

Her eyes went a bit wide at his words, "Link, I… I don't know what to say…"

"Just say you're ready," he replied, a new resolve empowering his voice as he got to his feet, "Say you're ready and that you'll come with me, and I will help you take back your throne. Together, we'll put Zant back in his place and retake your kingdom."

Midna's previously weak smile turned into a determined grin, "Yes… If we can just defeat Zant, the curse on me will dissolve, and we may be able to revive Zelda."

Link nodded.

"I'm ready, I'll come with you. Let's finish what we've started."

* * *

_**Reflect into yourself.**_

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**A/N: So,** you guys reviewed that last chapter almost 40 times! That is so amazing! Thank you guys so much for all the love and I hope you keep on giving it! Anyway, how did you like this chapter? I know it was a little shorter than my usual again, I just don't like to mess with a perfect stopping point. We finally know about Midna's past; what did you think of it? Leave a review and let me know what you thought of this chapter! Love you guys like crazy! See you next time in the Twilight Realm!


	52. The Usurper King

**A/N: I'm** so sorry for another long wait, guys. I was stuck at the beginning of this chapter for what felt like forever, consumed by awful writer's block. Luckily, I have amazing readers that continue to inspire me and keep me motivated and you guys are what helped me push through it! Anyway, I'm super excited about this chapter; I really hope you guys love the encounter with Zant! ;)

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 52: The Usurper King

**.:.**

Being in the Twilight Realm felt like being frozen in time.

The sun was perpetually floating just over the horizon, the stars were always just barely visible in the half-lit sky, and no matter how much time passed, nothing changed. Dusk filled every minute of every hour of every day – there was no morning, afternoon, or night – there was only twilight.

He knew he should have expected nothing more, or nothing less, but it was still so surreal to see a sunset that would never slowly fade into nighttime. He found himself wondering how residents of Midna's world kept track of time. He couldn't imagine going to sleep at night with the slight glow of dusk still lingering in the air. Even more strange was imagining waking up in the morning to such a gloomy sky.

He loved getting up early enough to watch the sun rise in the distance, and feeling the cool night slowly melt away into a warm morning as the world around him was greeted by the rays of the sun. The denizens of this realm had never experienced that, and would never experience that. He almost felt… sorry for them.

He stood at the entrance to this world for quite some time, taking in all of his surroundings, unsure exactly how he should react.

"So, is it what you imagined?" Midna asked, hovering beside him as she took in the view as well.

"Well," Link thought, "I guess I don't really know what I imagined. I didn't expect it to be so… dark."

"We don't call it the Twilight Realm for nothing, you know."

There was a long pause, and after a moment of studying her comrade's stare, she added, "You don't like it."

He looked at her and stammered, "No! I-I do, it's just… different."

"It's okay, you don't have to like it at first. Din knows I didn't like your realm at first. I mean, it's still debatable."

He gave her a look.

She giggled, "I'm only kidding!"

Link sighed, quickly changing the topic to what was really on his mind, "Well, um… Where do we start? I'm sure you know your way around here much better than I do."

Midna looked off into the distance at a tall construction not too far away before replying, "Zant has more than likely taken up the throne room where my father once ruled. The Palace of Twilight is where we'll go, and luckily we aren't too far from there."

There was a solemnness in the girl's voice that Link was not accustomed to, and he hated hearing her sound so melancholy. He liked to think that he understood why she was so upset, but… could he really fathom the weight of an entire kingdom upon his shoulders?

When she noticed that he wasn't making any strides forward, she asked, "What's the hold up?"

He shook his head, "It's nothing, just… Are you sure you're okay? I mean, wouldn't it be easier to just hide in my shadow and not let your people see you like this?"

She seemed as if she was contemplating it, but then abruptly shrugged it off as she said, "No. These people once followed me; they once considered me their ruler. They need to know that their princess didn't abandon them without cause. Even now, as they remain here suffering… they believe that help will come for this world. They need to know that I came back to help them, and that I brought with me the divine beast that legends have told us for centuries will be the one to cleanse our lands in times of turmoil. They need to know that their blind hope hasn't been in vain – that there is always hope to cling to."

Link's lips curled into a crooked smile as he listened to his friend's wise words.

"What?" she questioned strangely, "You're making a weird face… Did I say something stupid?"

He couldn't help but chuckle, "No, the opposite. I don't know how you've hid this side of yourself from me for so long, but it's just so… unusual to hear you speak in such a selfless, mature way."

"Ugh!" she exclaimed, mocking offense, "So you're saying I used to be selfish and immature?"

"Selfish? Yeah, probably for a little bit in the beginning. Immature? Nah, just not… I don't know… on the level of _royalty_."

She folded her arms over her chest, "I'm not sure if I should be insulted or not."

He gave a small laugh, "No, no, no, it's coming out all wrong. What I mean is… You've always been intelligent, mature, and you've become kind and caring as time went on, but hearing the way you speak about your people and witnessing your reaction to seeing your kingdom is…" he paused, trying so desperately to find the appropriate word, "I don't know… Surprising. Touching. Inspiring. Really, just… heartwarming. To hear you talk so strongly about something you care so deeply for is just a side of you I haven't seen before."

There was a brief silence before Link spoke up again, "I mean, you can't blame me for being shocked. All this time I had no idea really who you were or where you came from, all I knew was that you were a loud tease that loved to pick on me and push me harder than anyone else, and that you were my best friend. Finding out your best friend is a princess? Well, now that's just crazy," he chuckled, "Does what I'm saying sound ridiculous?"

"No," Midna smirked, "But, maybe realizing how it felt to suddenly find out your best friend has been a princess all along can kind of help you understand how all of your friends and family felt when they learned that you were the Goddesses' chosen hero."

He was silent as he took in her last words; she always knew just how to put things into perspective that he never would have even fathomed.

"You're right. It's a little different, but I think the feelings are pretty much the same."

"Well, if we're done being all profound and mushy, can we go deal with Zant now?"

"Yes. Let's not waste another minute."

On their way towards the sprawling palace, they soon encountered monsters that looked nearly indistinguishable from the shadow beasts he had been forced to exterminate on numerous counts before. Except, these ones were smaller and were not thrashing about in a haphazard attempt at his life.

Midna informed him that these were, indeed, citizens of her realm, and that they were in the middle of the transformation into a mindless beast, but that they were not yet at the point of no return. She assured him that they were not a threat, and so he let them be.

The entrance to the east wing of the grand castle was easily infiltrated, as none stood before it but a poor soul slowly being taken into the darkness at the hands of Zant. Its interior was even more dark and gloomy to behold than the realm itself, but there was still a strange beauty in its architecture. Boldly carved runes on the hard floors and walls resembled those of which Midna had mentioned before as the '_Twili's beautiful markings_,' which colorfully adorned her dark skin. Despite its otherworldly charm and Link's inherent curiosity, his want for exploration was not granted to him as the evil presence of enemies soon made themselves known.

Deku Babas similar to the ones back home littered the palace's halls, along with numerous other foul beasts that Zant had no doubt conjured in an effort to prevent anyone from reaching his chambers. It was a pathetic attempt, though, Link thought, these were idiotic foes that were easily dispatched of with little effort.

Link quickly swallowed his cocky words when a ghostly apparition identical to Zant's helm presented itself to the hero. It was bigger than the hero, and it spat dark magic at the intruder, but he was quick enough to dodge the blast. The second time around, however, Link was prepared for the attack. He held out his shield and let the magic ricochet off the metal and rebound back towards its caster. When the hero advanced upon it to eradicate it, it vanished into dozens of black Twili particles.

As he traversed through small corridors and large chambers, he came across a room filled with an ominous, dark mist. Midna told him not to worry, that it was a fog produced by Zant to blot out any light, and that they would be okay so long as they had the Twilight crystal. The shroud instantly transformed Link into a wolf upon contact, but his partner was able to easily turn him back once they were free of it.

Upon entering a large, empty hall, Link noticed a peculiar, stone hand grasping a ball of light at the opposite end. When he approached it, a faint, transparent image of Zant suddenly sprang in front of him and unleashed a number of shadow monsters to attack the hero. He took them all down with ease as they were nothing but mere Keese and Deku Babas, but he found difficulty in pinning down the figure of Zant, who would disappear and reappear in various locations in the vast corridor.

When he was finally able to anticipate the ghost's movements and strike it down, it submitted, releasing a massive amount of dark fog upon its departure. The mist was easily avoidable as Link sheathed his blade and made his way over to the strange hand at the end of the room.

Midna didn't wait for him to ask what it was, already knowing he would be curious, "That shining sphere illuminates this world. It's called a Sol. It's like the sun of your world, Link. The power of the Sol is the source of life in this world… It is pure power."

"Is this what Zant is after?" Link questioned, not taking his eyes off the mysterious orb.

"No," Midna answered simply, "He already has it."

Link turned to her, completely puzzled.

"See that weird hand?" she pointed, "No doubt that's his way of showing that he's claimed it for himself. Taking this away from the Twili people could also be why they're slowly turning into beasts. Zant doesn't care about them; he just wants it for himself," she scoffed, "And he calls himself a fit ruler."

The two were quiet for a moment, unsure of where to go from here, until Midna suddenly perked up.

"As long as you have this…" she muttered before chirping, "Would you take this Sol to the Twili at the entrance to this palace? Please, Link!"

He turned to her, "Will that return them to normal?"

"I think it just might."

Without a word, he smacked the flat side of his sword against the stone fingers whose clutches were around the Sol. As if it were a living thing, it recoiled from the strike and released the ball of light. A little disturbed by the reaction, Link hastily hefted the sphere into his grasp and headed for the exit.

A strange scuffling sound coupled with a deep moaning was suddenly heard behind them before they were even able to make it halfway across the chamber. They turned to see the hand coming to life as bright traces of red lit up into its etchings and its fingers twitched as movement was granted to them. It wasted no time in hovering indignantly after the duo to reclaim its lost prize.

"Um, definitely didn't expect that," Midna noted, "We should probably run."

And Link didn't take a second to contemplate it. He picked up into as quick a sprint he could manage while carrying the large Sol. He thought that as soon as they made their way out through the thick, stone door that they were safe in the subsequent rooms from the strange hand, but he was quickly proven wrong. The hand suddenly appeared, phasing through the wall and continuing to follow them.

"For Din's sake that is _creepy_!" Midna squirmed, "Let's get out of here! I don't want to see what happens when it catches up to us!"

Upping the pace, his legs were pumping hard, stopping only to open the next heavy door that lie before them. In his haste, however, he did not notice an enemy ready to pounce. He turned back to get a glimpse of how far away the hand was, and he was startled to see that it was keeping up with him rather well. When he returned to face forward, he was greeted with a sudden flurry of mini shadow beasts leaping on top of him. There were dozens, and they were able to make him drop the Sol as he lost his balance and stumbled down, landing on his back. They scratched and gnawed at him incessantly, but it didn't take long for him to overpower them with the help of Midna yanking them off of the top of him.

As he was disposing of the last couple fiends, he heard Midna gasp. He turned to see the hand right beside him, taking the Sol back into its clutches.

"Link! Do something!" Midna barked.

Reacting quickly, he grabbed the clawshot out of his pack and fired it at the orb just as the hand was ascending back into the air. It snatched the ball of light from its grasp and returned it to Link's. He scrambled to his feet and hightailed it to the exit, not even taking a split second to glance back at the hand's reaction or its distance.

Luckily, that door had been the one leading back outside, but Link didn't know if the hand would follow them out here or not.

"Don't worry," Midna said, able to so clearly read her friend's mind, "I don't think it will leave the palace walls."

Link sighed in relief, taking a moment to regain his composure as he panted in exhaustion. Recalling the reason Midna had requested he take the Sol in the first place, he noticed that he was standing right beside one of the slowly-changing Twili. He stood upright, holding the light of the Twilight Realm out towards the poor citizen. Almost instantaneously, it shrunk a bit in size and lost its frightening, beast-like demeanor, revealing a creature that did not look too different from Midna – well, despite her impish stature, that is.

The Twili was momentarily stunned, but was quick to fearfully ask, "Are you a… light dweller?"

Link nodded, "Yes."

He seemed completely confused, "Why would a light dweller save me? I thought light dwellers hated the Twili… That's what the late king always told us-"

"My father was wrong about them," Midna chimed in, "The light dwellers are selfless, caring people that want to help restore our world and take it back from that evil Zant."

As if the Twili didn't seem perplexed before, now he was utterly stupefied, "Your _father_…? You can't be…"

She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest; she didn't really want her people to know the she had been made into a useless imp, but now it was unavoidable.

The Twili gasped, "Your Majesty…!" He crumpled to his knees before her, "We all thought you were dead! Everyone was saying Zant killed you along with the king!"

She scoffed, "He wouldn't dare; he wanted to see me suffer. Come now," she said to the Twili, "You don't have to kneel before me. I'm hardly your ruler at the moment."

As the Twilight Realm subject got to his feet, he murmured, "Do forgive my rudeness, Your Highness, but… why is it you look so different?"

"This is a curse that Zant inflicted upon me - an attempt at stifling my power."

"And… this light dweller?"

Midna turned to Link, "This is the divine beast spoken of in legends, and he is going to help me reclaim our world for our own."

The Twili's jaw fell slack for a brief moment, and he was unable to find his voice.

Instead, Midna spoke up, "We can't idle any longer," she then turned to the civilian, "Stay somewhere safe and out of sight until this is done."

He nodded nervously, wordlessly, and they headed towards the other Twili that had also lost their sanity. Link held the Sol out towards them and they reverted back just as quickly. There were four of them, some short and fat, some tall and thin – all varying in appearance just like people of the light realm. Link was beginning to realize more and more that this world was not so different from his own.

Midna explained to these Twili the same that she had to the last. She informed them that she was, indeed, their princess having only altered physical form, and that she had the hero of legends alongside her. She told them that they were on their way to dethrone Zant, and their grim faces seemed to light up just before they placed the Sol in its rightful place in the center of the palace grounds and took their leave.

The western wing of the castle was not so different from the east, and the corridors were just as simply traversed. There were more Keese on this half of the palace, and much more dark mist. The same demented figure of Zant's helm revealed itself in one of the ensuing halls, clearly not having given up the fight yet. It was easy enough to shoo away, but it always ended up popping back up when Link least expected it.

Shadow Beasts lunged at him from the midst of a massive bout of dark fog in the next corridor, forcing Link's heart to skip a beat. These ones were vicious, but Link wasn't sure if he was supposed to attack them or not – being unsure if they were innocent or already passed the point of saving. Midna told him not to worry and not to feel guilty, that they were long gone and needed to be put out of their misery. The hero dispatched of them swiftly, inflicting the least amount of pain possible in order to send them on gently.

The west wing also proved to take longer to make their way through, whether by the number of corridors or the difficulty in navigating them. Eventually, they found themselves in a large, empty room practically identical to the previous in which they had found the Sol in the eastern wing. Also just as before, there was a menacing hand clutching greedily to another sphere, and Link knew what was going to happen next.

As if it was nothing more than a program instructed to follow the same procedure should anyone enter this gloomy chamber, Zant's doppelganger once again presented itself before the hero could take the Sol from the evil hand's grasp. Link found the attack to be slightly pitiful, as this apparition followed the exact routine as its former, giving him the upper hand as he already knew exactly what it was going to do. He was able to remember the previous ghost's movement patterns and anticipate exactly where the phantom would be before it appeared, and it was a near effortless confrontation.

"You didn't tell me there was more than one of these things," Link mentioned, staring at the bright light, "Please tell me there are only two."

"Yes, this is the last one. Just… snatch it super quick and run like hell. Don't even look back once the hand wakes up, okay?" she instructed, a calmness in her voice as she tried to make him feel at ease.

He nodded slowly, "Okay…"

Just like before, he swat the blunt side of his blade against the hard fingers, and the Sol rolled sluggishly away from its captor. This time, however, the hand began awakening before Link could even bend down and take the Twilight Realm's sun into his arms.

"Hurry, Link!" Midna bellowed, already making her way towards the door.

He hefted it up as quickly as he could and made haste for the exit, following his partner's advice and not even passing a glance over his shoulder. They passed through the first chamber without much pause, Link rapidly dodging various enemies' attacks as he ran. The second was a breeze, and by the third, Midna disobeyed her own rule, forcing her to gasp when she took in the sight before her. The shriek of his partner startled him as he turned to see what was the matter, causing him to subconsciously slow down and nearly causing him to lose his footing. He instinctually followed her line of sight only to see the hand dropping down upon him from above.

He was instantly pushed to the ground underneath the palm of the heavy, stone hand. Link squirmed under the firm grip as it got tighter and tighter around him. The orb - having still had it in his arms when he was pinned down - was now jabbing into his gut and shortening his breath. Midna was crying his name all the while and trying to pry the strong fingers off of him with all her might, but she couldn't even make it budge.

Realizing it had the Sol in its grasp, the evil hand began ascending back towards the ceiling with Link in tow as well, considering the extra baggage as sort of the icing on the cake of its catch. The hero was kicking his legs and wriggling like a worm on a hook, but its grip was simply too strong. Midna hovered after them in a panic, racking her brain for a solution. Noticing her hero's feet starting to give up as he was likely losing oxygen, she quickly did the first thing that came to her mind.

She hastily shot a small bolt of Twili magic – the same she had used all those months ago to free her wolf from his chains. She knew it wasn't much, but anything was worth trying.

The hand was completely unfazed by the short buzz of electricity, so she tried another, and another, and another. She knew she was running out of time as it neared the wall where it would make its escape. She closed her eyes and concentrated, focusing on making the bolt of magic more than just a 'short buzz,' but more of a full blown lightning strike.

Her brow furrowed as the little magic she was left with in her cursed form was brought to its peak and sent at the stone fiend in a flurry. She opened her eyes to watch dozens of electrical currents envelop the hand in an instant. She hadn't thought of the fact that it would zap Link, too, but luckily it was only for a split second as the pain caused the beast to drop the hero from its clutches.

He fell nearly a dozen feet and landed on the hard ground on his back. A loud rush of air could be heard escaping his lungs, and he simply lay there trying to catch his breath for what felt like forever. Midna hurried to him, realizing he was hurt but also knowing that he could push through it.

"Get up, Link," she insisted calmly at first before raising her voice in urgency, "Get up!"

Link sat up, placing a hand on his chest as if to help open up his lungs. He glanced at the malicious hand floating just above them, and it seemed as if it was already recovering. Link turned back around and noticed that the Sol had rolled a few feet away. He clambered over to it in a speedy crawl before stumbling to his feet and making a mad dash for the exit. He didn't stop to look back; he had no idea how far – or close – his enemy was to him, but he didn't care, he just wanted _out_.

He thrust the door open and slammed it shut behind him, crumpling to his knees as he set the ball of light down beside him.

"I'm sorry, Link," Midna said, watching him pant like a dog, "My magic didn't hurt you, did it?"

"No," he lied, "Couldn't even feel it."

Midna scoffed, "You're such a liar. You know you can't lie to me."

"I'm fine," he said as he stood up and wavered a bit, "My heart's just racing is all."

"Zant sure does have a strange way of protecting his things, huh?" she gave a dry chuckle, referencing their last bizarre adversary.

"You saved me again," Link stated, ignoring her previous words, "Thank you."

"Oh, whatever," she waved her hands, dismissing it, "Do you really even need to say thank you anymore? I mean, I've saved your life _so many_ times now," she teased with a smirk.

"Very funny," he chuckled, "But yes, I do still have to say thank you. You'd do the same were it the other way around."

"Hmm," she mumbled, mocking contemplation, "Maaaybe…"

"Okay," he laughed, giving in to her game, "If you say so."

They passed a few more changing Twili on their way to reunite the two Sols together again, forcing Midna to reiterate what she had already explained a number of times before. Her subjects were loyal to her and infinitely glad to have her back, but there was still a distant glimmer of disbelief in their amber irises – but the princess couldn't blame them for it.

With the insertion of the second Sol in its rightful place, the two promptly began shining an incredibly bright light. The duo shielded their eyes from the sudden flare, and when they were able to look again, the two orbs were gone. Instead, the Master Sword was glowing brilliantly. Link held the weapon before his face, wondering if his eyes were deceiving him.

Midna's jaw was ever so slack beside him, muttering quietly, "Amazing… The power of the Sols has been transferred to your sword…"

He glanced over at her, then back at his blade.

"The guardian deities of my world are on our side, too! You really are the chosen one, Link… You really are a true hero…"

He sheathed the Master Sword and turned to her, a look of pleased contentment on her usually playful features – it was if in that moment everything she'd always known in her heart was manifesting before her eyes.

She cleared her throat, changing her expression to one of determination, "As long as you have that sword, you should be able to repel the shadows that Zant has spread."

Link nodded with a strengthened resolve before heading towards the main building of the castle – the northern wing, and the one in which Midna said Zant could most likely be found in.

Being a palace as well as a place of residents for the royals, most of the corridors were, once again, not entirely difficult to traverse. There were more spheres that resembled the Sols in adjacent chambers, but Midna informed him that they were not Sols, that they were simply objects used as defenses for the castle as it was required that they be placed in specific locations in order to move farther in.

Luckily, he had the princess of the castle on his side, making navigating the few puzzles and the sometimes confusing hallways mostly a breeze. She led the way; it was only up to him to clear the path by removing the dark fog and the numerous Twilit beasts that they encountered along the way.

They came to a large, exterior balcony that was littered with enormous Twilit Kargaroks circling overhead. Very few attempted a dive attack on the hero, but the ones that did were instantly eliminated as one swing from the Sol-imbued Master Sword sent them quickly to their death. The others flew ominously above them, so Link withdrew his bow and set an arrow on the string. More than two-thirds of his shots were successful, as he had become very skilled not only in the athleticism of archery, but in the art of anticipating his enemies' movements. Being able to shoot a little bit ahead of the Kargarok's flight pattern would ensure almost one hundred percent success. There was always one fiend that would fly so unsystematically that it was difficult to estimate its next move, but he saw it not as misses or failures, but as even more learning and growing that he was acquiring, and there could never be too much of that.

The enlarged figure of Zant's helm seemed to find them everywhere. There were nearly a dozen on the exterior, and when they made their way back inside there were even more. They were dispatched of without much trouble, but were a relentless nuisance nonetheless – not to mention an omen of what was to come.

The hero found them to be slightly creepy… as if the usurper king was watching his every move.

Midna said they were getting close, and Link's heart was starting to beat a little faster. They came into a long, slightly narrow corridor with the black mist engulfing the center of the room, forcing Link to enter it and become a wolf. It was then that shadow beast after shadow beast lunged at him. At first it was only one at a time, then it was two at a time, all the way up to five at a time at the last. The end total had to have ended up being at least twenty that he killed just in that room alone. It made him sick to think that these creatures were once nothing more than humble Twili citizens just like the ones outside. They were innocent people… and Zant turned them into monsters in which their only hope was to die to escape their horrible fate.

Once the onslaught was finally at an end, Link was able to lift the threatening fog and return to his natural state. A massive, ornate door stood tall before them, and Link just _knew_ where it had to lead.

"This is the door to the throne room," Midna almost whispered at his side.

"Are you ready?" Link asked bluntly, eager to avoid any side conversations or stalls that either could muster; he was ready to get this over with.

She looked over at him, "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

"No," he didn't even hesitate, "This is more your fight than mine. This is the person you trusted when you were younger and who turned on you and your family in order to seize power over your world."

She seemed contemplative – he was right.

"So," he spoke up again, "Are you ready?"

She was silent a moment, glancing down at her tiny feet that were hovering a ways above the ground. She looked back up at him, and there was not a trace of fear in his eyes. He was feeling it, no doubt, but he was good at masking it, and he didn't want her to know he was afraid.

She nodded a bit slowly, "Yes, I'm ready."

He faced forward and opened the door without even the slightest hesitation, all the while his mind was ablaze. He was about to face the demon responsible for killing an immeasurable amount of innocent people and cursing just as many more. He had the power of the Fused Shadows and he was likely to still have the aid of Ganondorf as well. The last time he saw Zant – the _first_ time he saw Zant – he was so cold, almost devoid of any emotion. He was calm and collected, as if he was simultaneously thinking up all the different ways he could harm you. He was a being completely unknown to Link; he was a complete mystery. With Ganondorf, even though he struck utter fear into the hero's heart, at least he knew what the man looked like and the legends that were spoken of him; he knew the things he had done and the things he was capable of. With Zant, he was completely clueless.

The basic rule of fighting that both Rusl and sheer experience had taught him were: _know your enemy_. It was one of the most important rules – if not _the_ most important – and he felt like because he had no idea what he was going up against, he was setting himself up for failure.

He didn't want Midna to know he was afraid, though, and so he wouldn't let her know. He could tell she was scared. That's not to say she wasn't determined, headstrong, or leading on complete anger and hatred towards this man, but she was still fearful of what he would, or could, do to them.

The door swung open before either one could change their minds, and despite the fear in their hearts, the pair stormed forward as if they had nothing to lose. Upon their entry, they gazed upon a calm form sitting atop a throne that was not his to sit upon.

"Zant," Midna said forcefully, but Link could hear the uncertainty in her slightly wavering pitch.

The usurper king said nothing.

Beginning to regain her usual strength of will, she spat, "Isn't this ironic? Here we are, all thanks to the dark magic curse you placed on Link!" she laughed.

Even from their distance, they could see the corner of the cold man's lips curl up into a sinister smile, and it wiped Midna's off in an instant.

He slowly got to his feet, saying coolly, "You speak of magic? Still your tongue for a moment, _whelp_, and I will tell you of both magic and the oppression of ages."

As he began making sluggish strides towards them, his helm began to lift as he continued, "The people of our tribe… a tribe that mastered the arts of magic… were locked away in this world like insects in a cage."

Despite knowing that he was a Twili, Link hadn't expected him to have such an otherworldly look about him. He looked so much more… evil than the others of his race, almost as if he was consumed with ire. His deep, auburn eyes bore into them almost crazily. A bad feeling was beginning to swell inside the pit of Link's stomach that he couldn't shake.

"In the shadows we regressed," he went on, lifting his arms in the air as he did so, "so much so that we soon knew neither anger nor hatred… nor even the faintest bloom of desire."

Link furrowed his brow as the false king began twitching.

"And all of it was the fault of a useless, do-nothing royal family that had resigned itself to this miserable half-existence!" he added, no longer calm in the least. He was at the point of screeching as he writhed before the throne, as if he did not know what to do with his overflowing anger.

Midna watched on in a bewildered state, never having seen this side of him before in her entire life of knowing him.

He began stomping his feet in his rage, much like a child would when throwing a temper tantrum, "I had served and endured in that depraved household for far too long, my impudent princess."

With another shrill shriek, he suddenly leapt down the stairs at them, and Link intuitively held his blade in front of himself and Midna to block whatever act of violence he would muster. Strangely, he did not leap down to attack; instead, they whirled around to see him behaving even more uncharacteristically behind them.

"And why, you ask? Because I believed I would be the next to rule our people! _That_ is why!" He threw his head back in pure, unbridled rage, "But would they acknowledge me as their king? No! And as such, I was denied the magic powers befitting our ruler. It was then, in the thrall of hatred and despair, that I turned my eyes to the heavens… and found a _god_."

Midna and Link quickly exchanged knowing glances, and Zant's low, disconcerting snicker whisked their eyes back to him.

"My god had only one wish…" he added menacingly as he stood upright, his helm now back on, just before vanishing and appearing before the throne once more. "To merge shadow and light… and make darkness!"

With those final words, he hovered high above the throne room, familiar Twilight runes surrounding him, this time, in a bright crimson light.

"Link," Midna whispered as the two awaited the unknown, "My ancestors' magic is incredibly powerful, I don't know what he's going to throw at you-"

"Just hide in my shadow until it's over."

"Link, I want to help y-"

"I don't want you to get hurt. Please jus-"

Before he could finish his sentence, everything around them suddenly completely changed. Nothing looked as it should; it was as if they were no longer in the Palace of Twilight. There was grass beneath his feet, a pond before him, and trees surrounding him.

"This looks…" he mumbled, his brow furrowed as he instantly recognized where he was.

"It's an illusion, Link!" Midna called from his shadow as he dodged an oncoming bolt of magic, "He's making it look like the place where you fought that giant Deku Baba in the very beginning of our journey in the Forest Temple! Do you remember how you killed it?"

"Yes!" he answered surely, quickly backflipping out of the way of another blast.

"He'll probably mimic its movements too! Think of how you took down that beast and use the same strategy! He never could come up with anything of his own…"

He remembered the weapon he had used the most in that encounter: the Gale Boomerang. He withdrew it and sent it flying towards Zant who was hovering over the small pond spewing purple magic at him from afar. The blast stunned him, causing him to fall into the water where he then made his way over to dry land, giving the hero all the opportunity he needed. He unleashed on the usurper king, not pausing in his endless strikes until he submitted. He wailed in pain, quickly leaping out of the line of fire after having taken quite a number of blows.

He floated high overhead, preparing to use his powerful magic again. Suddenly Link was falling, and he instantly felt an intense heat like he had hoped he'd never have to feel again. He landed on a familiar, slippery blue surface above a pool of lava. This was the battle with the Goron protecting the Hero's Bow back in the Goron Mines. He was standing in the center of the platform, and Zant began jumping on his side, landing harshly enough to begin tilting the unstable stage downhill.

Link's heart began rapidly pumping in his chest; he knew he had to get his boots off and strap his iron ones on in a matter of seconds. To save himself time, he ran to the opposite side of the platform, which was the highest. He had a few split seconds between each leap in which the podium slightly evened back out, and it was just enough to save him. He was able to just barely get his magnetic boots on, and Zant was instantly outraged. With a scream of anger, he vanished and reappeared in the center near Link, spewing more enchantments at him. The hero simply held up his shield and deflected all of the oncoming bolts of energy, and Zant quickly wore himself out. He halted his assault briefly, doing naught more than huffing and puffing. Link knew he couldn't run quick enough in his iron boots to make it to him before he regained his composure, so he withdrew his bow and aimed an arrow directly at his foe's helm. It rebounded off the metal, but it was a direct hit and it hurt him enough to make him give a second surrender.

He prepared to change the setting yet again, and Link couldn't imagine what he would throw at him next. In a split second, he was choking and taking in water. He tried to cough, causing him to choke more. He was instantly disoriented and all the water he was taking in was taking its toll.

"Link! Hurry up and get your Zora helmet out!" his shadow shrieked, sounding utterly terrified for her hero.

He could barely see through the muddy water, and he was clinging on to barely any oxygen as most was lost to him when he was unknowingly plunged into the water and began choking. He fiddled through his pouch and pulled out the gear after much struggle. He could see Zant haphazardly shooting more and more flashes of magic at him from quite a distance away. He took a slow, labored step to the left to avoid one shot, but took the second, third, and fourth to his middle. He doubled forward in pain, dropping the heavy, metal helmet to the sandy floor. Another precious air bubble escaped his lips upon impact, and he hastily dropped to his knees after the Zora equipment. He grabbed it as quickly as he could, but when he went to put it to his lips, he remembered something.

The helm was worn on his head, and didn't have any direct way of delivering oxygen. The headwear stored the air, but the suit as a collective unit supplied it to him. The authentic Zora scales, the magic black fabric… it was all required in order to breathe underwater – one piece of the armor alone was worthless, and there was no way he had the time, or even the ability, to get the whole suit on now.

"Oh, Din…" Midna mumbled to herself, her worry doubling, tripling, quadrupling as she realized he couldn't breathe, Zant wasn't ceasing in his attacks, and she couldn't help him here; if she were to come out of his shadow she wouldn't be able to breathe either.

He was losing air fast, and with it, his consciousness. Darkness was beginning to frame his vision, but he could still just barely make out more blasts of amethyst magic coming directly at him. He ducked down low against the soft ground, causing the orbs to soar over him. He knew he had to do something to stop Zant or else he wouldn't change the setting and he would drown.

In his desperation, he could only come up with one idea. He knew he couldn't get over to Zant before passing out from air loss – he still had on his iron boots, and he knew he couldn't get them off in time, either – so he had to do something from right where he was. He stuffed the Zora helmet back in his knapsack and pulled out the clawshot. After taking a few more painful hits of the Twili's magic, he aimed the clawshot as best he could through his blurry vision (at least Zant was standing still as well), and he pulled the trigger. Before even seeing if the hit was successful or not, he pulled out his sword and pointed it straight out in front of him, waiting a short few seconds before Zant came soaring towards him as a result of the clawshot. It wasn't lined up perfectly, so he wasn't impaled on the sword like Link had hoped, but it did manage to slice up his side quite nicely.

Zant let out his signature shriek before continuing the routine. As soon as the scenery shifted once again, gravity allowed Link to instantly collapse onto his stomach.

The arena was grassy and forest-like again, and the room looked exactly like the one in which Link defeated Ook and obtained the boomerang. Zant began leaping from pillar to pillar, just as the monkey once did, cackling maniacally as he did so. Midna leapt from her hero's shadow, checking him over with haste to make sure he was okay.

He wasn't breathing.

"Goddess-damn you!" she screamed, the words directed at Zant, as she quickly turned Link onto his back and prepared to do what she'd already had to do more times than she'd like. This time, however, she wasn't a mere shadow, and she'd be able to help him much more efficiently than she had previously.

Zant hopped down from one of the columns and prepared to lunge at Midna, but she was ready. She used her powerful hair-hand and smacked him away, forcing him to hit the nearby wall harshly. She knew he'd recover quickly and either alter their surroundings again or attempt another attack, so she didn't have long.

Without taking even a moment to rethink it or second guess herself, she pressed her lips to Link's and breathed deeply for him once, twice, and a third time. She pulled back to get a good look at him and to eyeball Zant's condition; the evil Twili appeared to be regaining his composure slowly but surely, but Link did not respond.

She leaned in and tried again. She breathed once, twice, pulled back. She breathed a third time, a fourth time, pulled back. By now Zant was already upon her.

She concentrated her weak magic into the most powerful thing she could muster, which she had used earlier on the ominous, stone hand that guarded the Sols. Once it reached its height, as Zant was only inches from reaching her, she shot it directly at him and didn't even care to see his reaction – she knew she wasn't strong enough to take down Zant alone and she couldn't leave her hero unconscious lest he be lost to her for good.

She swiftly dove down for one more deep breath, and that was all he needed. He suddenly gasped, and she helped him turn onto his side to spit up all the water that was still in his lungs.

"Link, I'm sorry, I know this is ridiculous and you almost just died but I need you to get up right now," she said urgently.

He coughed and hacked, his mind still in a bit of a blurry haze. He looked up to see the beyond-nervous face of his companion, and Zant in the distance clenching his fists in anger and floating back up into the air in preparation of another shift.

Link coughed once more, his lungs still having a bit of difficulty working as they should. He shook his head once fast, trying to remind his brain of just what was going on. He was slightly confused as to what had happened for a moment, but when he saw Zant hovering above them and their surroundings altering to a cold, icy chamber, it all came back to him in a flash and he knew this was no time to compose himself – he would have time for that later.

In an attempt to rush to his feet, he stumbled and fell back down, not only because of the slippery ice, but because he still had his iron boots strapped on. He huffed in frustration, hoping Midna could distract Zant just long enough so he could get the annoying garment off and tucked away.

The false king suddenly grew ten times his size, causing both the imp and her hero's hearts to momentarily stop.

"Hurry," she mumbled to Link as she soared high above the ground in order to get Zant's attention. She circled his massive head, keeping his eyes locked on her but moving quickly enough so that he couldn't touch her.

As soon as Link got his heavy boots put back in his pack, he knew exactly what he would reach for next. This was the chamber resembling his battle with the innocent Yeta, who he had to snap back to reality with the use of the ball and chain. He took out the intense weapon, and as Midna kept his attention on her, Link took the time to line up his throw, and he chucked it at Zant's leg with all his might. He screamed before shrinking back down to size. Midna dove into Link's shadow as he began hacking away at the imposter.

This time, when Zant shifted the illusion, they were in Hyrule Field, just before the steps to Hyrule Castle Town. Here, there was no former enemy to imitate, no environmental advantage - finally, Link knew he could end him here.

Zant surprised the hero when he produced two long, sharp blades in each hand, and he came at him ferociously. Link held up his shield, allowing his guard to take the brunt of the onslaught as he simply watched his adversary's fighting style. His attacks were not calculated and carefully placed as skilled fighters' were; his were completely disorganized and chaotic. He put all of his strength into each swing, and each swing was much too _wide_.

Another rule of battle that Link had learned for himself over the course of his journey was that each and every attack had to have a purpose. When fighting, every second must be planned and spent wisely; otherwise it could be a second in which you lose your life. Even the simplest of mistakes could mean the end.

Zant definitely did _not_ know how to fight; it almost felt unfair, but Link knew that he couldn't reason with him and he wouldn't stop his rampage now.

The hero knew exactly what he needed to do. The usurper king's downfall was how much stock he put into each overextended swing, leaving a huge opening for Link to take advantage of. He knew that he would have to put his shield down right after Zant's blade smacked off of it, and it was then that there would be an opening of about two seconds in which Link could deliver the final blow.

"What are you doing, Link!" Midna yelled impatiently.

As soon as he felt Zant's blade reverberate off his shield again, he enacted his plan. In one fluid motion, he lowered his guard and stabbed the Master Sword straight through Zant's stomach until it came out the back.

It seemed as if everything paused for a brief moment, until Link removed his blade and the Twili released another ear-piercing cry. As the awful sound echoed off the walls around them, the illusion began to fade away until they were once again in the Palace of Twilight. Link heaved a sigh as Zant fell back onto the throne in a slouched position, still clinging to life.

He turned around to see the pieces of the Fused Shadow returning to Midna. She closed her eyes in anticipation of what she'd been truly waiting for… only to discover that nothing happened. She was still an imp. She looked disparagingly down at her hands, starting to lose hope that she would ever regain her true form.

Link watched her forlornly, wishing he could have helped her return to herself just as much – he knew what it felt like to be trapped in a foreign body that you felt you could never escape from.

"Y-You… _Traitors_!" Zant weakly yelped.

They both turned to face him, noticing that he was slowly bleeding out upon the throne.

"'Traitors'? Ha!" Midna snarled as she moved closer to him, nearing the end of the stairs, "You want to know why none would call you king? It was your eyes, Zant. All saw it, a lust for power burning in your pupils. Did you think we'd forget our ancestors lost their king to such greed?"

"Midna… Foolish Twilight Princess…" he huffed, an evil grin gracing his blood-stained lips, "The curse on you cannot be broken… It was placed on you by the magic of my god! The power you held as leader of the Twili will never return!"

Link noticed his companion quivering in pure fury in front of him, and he noticed her hair-hand was twitching and turning a color he had never seen it become before.

"Already he has descended and been reborn in this world… As long as my master, Ganon, survives, he will resurrect me without cease!"

In that instance, Link noticed something shining in Zant's right hand, and his heart almost stopped. Despite knowing that he was dying, the usurper king had one final trick up his sleeve – one last ditch effort to thwart the Twilight Princess and the chosen one.

Faster than he had ever seen any living creature move before, Zant was out of his seat and soaring down the steps, blade at the ready pointed directly at Midna. She didn't see the weapon, and therefore did not foresee any danger, but even if she had she would not have been able to dodge it in time. Link saw it coming, though, and knew what he had to do.

With a mere four feet between the attacker and the victim, the hero dove in the middle of them. Having prevented the knife from piercing Midna, it, instead, pierced Link. His breath stilled in his chest upon impact, and Midna, having swiftly hovered around to see what had happened gasped loudly.

Zant's malevolent laughter rang throughout the empty chamber as he said, "Light dwellers always were stupid."

With a final wicked chuckle, he ever so gently tapped the hero's chest, causing him to start tumbling backwards. Midna hurriedly reached out to soften his landing, a tear escaping her lashes as she looked into the weary eyes of her best friend, seeming to plead with her to finish Zant and worry for him later as he desperately fought the pain.

Her fists were clenched at her sides and her entire body trembled, no longer able to contain her rage for another second.

She uttered in a dark, demanding tone that Link had never heard her use before, "You will NEVER be resurrected! Your '_god_' will die if it's the last thing we do!"

Her hair-hand then suddenly burst forth into three separate spikes that impaled Zant against the far wall. He squirmed wildly for quite some time, but the imp did not let up until he was still. Finally, she thought, Zant… the reason for so much of her pain… was gone.

The evil smirk of a job well done was still embedded on his cold, dark lips.

* * *

**_Power most often breeds madness._**

* * *

**A/N: So,** I don't really do cliff-hangers often (I can't even think of the last one I did), but this chapter was already much longer than usual so, alas, we are left at a cliffie. Don't hate me!

A lot of you had suggestions and input on things you wanted to see happen in the Twilight Realm. Either, stuff you felt the game was lacking in or just something you thought would flesh it out more. I took all of your guys' feedback and definitely ran with it, so I hope it lived up to your expectations! I, personally, am very pleased with how it turned out, but what's important is how you all like it. A lot of you have mentioned that you've really been looking forward to the Zant battle, so did it meet your expectations? Or - even better - exceed them? Let me know!

Also, a couple of you mentioned in a review from the last chapter that you were confused at how old Midna was supposed to be. She mentions that she was 13 when her mother died, and she tells Link when he asks her if she's okay reliving it that it's alright, because it's been a few years since then and she's been able to heal. So that would make her around 17, depending on how you view the word "few" ;)

Don't forget to go 'like' my Facebook page (link on my profile), and make sure to review and tell me what you thought! Love you all! :D


	53. Betwixt and Between

**A/N: Hello lovely readers! **I had a blast writing this; it pretty much wrote itself to be honest. I just sat at my computer letting my fingers run wild, and then, all of a sudden, I have this! It gets a little crazy... Enjoy! ;)

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 53: Betwixt and Between

**.:.**

"Link?" Midna's voice trembled as she lowered herself beside him.

He opened his tightly shut eyes upon hearing her call his name and he looked up at her wearily. She gazed back into his drowsy pupils, his expression displaying an unimaginable agony that he was trying so desperately to mask for her sake.

He swallowed hard with a furrowed brow before croaking, "Is he dead?"

Midna nodded, a tear sliding down her cheek as she did so, her heart literally aching to see him in pain because of her.

His eyes closed in a grimace momentarily, giving Midna the opportunity to look him over. Protruding from the middle of his abdomen was the hilt of Zant's blade, a ring of crimson surrounding its insertion point. She had no idea if the usurper king had successfully punctured any vital organs or not, and there was no way for her to find that out here. She also wasn't sure if it would be wise to leave the dagger in place to act as a plug in his wound, or if that would only cause more damage. She hated not knowing what to do for him in times like this, and, unfortunately, times like this happened much too often.

"Link?" she called again, getting him to reopen his eyes and look up at her. "I don't know what to do. I'm sorry, I never know what to do…" she sniffed, "I should be the one helping you, you shouldn't always have to walk me through how to handle something like this every time it happens!"

He gave a nearly inaudible chuckle, clutching near his wound as the gesture proved to be quite agonizing.

"What's so funny?" she demanded, "You never could take a serious situation serious enough, Link! I'm not joking in telling you that I don't know what to do, you're lying here practically _dying_ in front of me, and you start _laughing_? I don't know how to get you to Kakariko in time, I don't know if I should even move you because I don't want to hurt you more, for Din's sake, Link, I don't even know what to do with that damn blade sticking out of you!"

Without a word or a second's hesitation, Link grasped the hilt of the dagger embedded in his torso with his left hand and yanked it out in a flash. Midna gasped, covering her mouth with her hands as Link winced and let out a low groan upon release. He tossed the weapon aside and quickly covered the now-bleeding wound with his other hand.

"Link! What the hell!" Midna screeched.

Lifting his upper body and resting momentarily in a seated position with his arm still wrapped around his middle, his imp partner was beginning to panic even more, causing her to grow angry.

"Link, don't be stupid! You're gonna hurt yourself if you try to get up! Just let me figure out a way to get you to Renado myself!"

He moaned a bit as he slowly got to his feet, his face contorted in pain all the while as he mumbled, "I don't want you to… w-worry," a miniscule whine involuntarily left his lips as he tried to straighten himself up, "I can handle it myself so that you don't have to worry."

"Link!" Midna screamed in pure fury, throwing her fists down at her sides, "Don't be so Goddess-damned stupid! You _know_ that's not what I wanted you to do when I said that! Please, just lie back down so we can figure this out! You're only making it worse trying to walk around!"

When he opened his mouth to try and argue, he started to fall backwards again. Midna dove her hair-hand quickly underneath his back and caught him before he could get hurt. She cradled him gently, her ancestors' magic allowing her to effortlessly hold the hero in her hair-hand now.

She pulled him closer to her as she demanded, "Now you be quiet and relax. I'll get you to Kakariko on my own."

He gave her a pained smile and a reluctant nod before closing his eyes.

From then on, she didn't waste a single, solitary minute. She knew her way out of the castle like the back of her hand, and she hovered down the dark, mostly-empty corridors with ease. The few enemies that tried to assault them were easily flown above and avoided. Once outside the palace, a few of her loyal subjects were curious and had many questions, but she didn't stop in her trek to the mirror, telling them as she passed by that they need not worry, that she would be back and they would rebuild the Twilight Realm together.

The Mirror of Twilight transported them to the familiar, hot desert. That was when she realized that she had to transform her hero into a wolf in order to get him to the shaman's town.

She laid him down on the stone floor and whispered, "I'm sorry, Link, but I have to do this."

Without giving him even a split second to do or say something stupid, she placed the dark crystal to his forehead. After the spark of light, the four-legged beast was sprawled before her, crimson sticking in his fur on his underbelly. His tongue hung out as a canine as he panted like a dog in desperate need of a drink. She frowned upon the sight of him, but quickly diverted her thoughts to concentrating on the portal above them.

It was just past dawn when they teleported into the dusty village. Midna glanced around nervously from the spirit's spring, trying to see if she was safe staying out in the open.

The Gorons were rolled up into their tight little balls, the early morning being the only time they would indulge in a few hours' rest. Being rock-creatures, they didn't really need to have a proper sleep schedule like most other living beings. Tiny flames were still burning inside all of the lanterns throughout the village, but the only living souls that were outside at the moment were the resting Gorons.

Noticing that it was safe to pass through the town and knowing that it might not remain that way for long, the imp hastily returned the hero to his natural state and scooped him back up into her stronger hair-hand.

She zoomed down the length of Kakariko Village, and once she approached the door to the inn she could hear loud talking and chattering coming from inside. She peered carefully in the window and noticed Renado, Ilia, and all the kids sitting around the table eating breakfast together. Her heart stopped – what should she do? Would she have to reveal herself to them?

Just as she was debating it in her head, she felt the weight in her magical grasp suddenly lighten drastically. She turned around to see what was going on, and she saw Link getting to his feet and hobbling towards to door.

"Link!" she yelled in a whisper, "What are you-"

"I'm not…" he heaved an agonized sigh as he stood upright and glanced over at her, "…going to make you compromise yourself for me."

Her jaw dropped, her voice stilling in her throat at an utter loss for words.

"Link! Ugh!" she tried, but before she could say or do anything, the wounded Ordonian was already turning the doorknob to the run-down hotel, forcing her to hurriedly dive into his shadow.

Everyone sitting around the table suddenly jumped at the sudden disturbance, turning to see Link stumbling through the door with his left hand wrapped around his stomach.

"Link! You're back!" Colin shouted eagerly from his seat, but he then quickly noticed how awful his brother looked and murmured, "Link?"

Ilia furrowed her brow in worry as she approached her friend with haste. He was slightly doubled over and unstable on his feet, still wavering a bit from the entrance. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, leaning forward a bit to try and get a look at his face. His eyes were closed, and his expression was contorted by pain. She noticed his hand clinging tightly to his abdomen and a familiar shade of red staining his tunic around where his palm covered what was no doubt an injury.

"You're bleeding," the young girl gasped, but just as she was about to call his name to snap him from his stupor, he started falling forward.

Ilia reacted speedily. Having already been there, she stuck her arms out and braced herself as the hero's form tumbled into her grasp. Not being strong enough to hold both herself and him up, though, she eased him down to her lap where she flipped him over to lay on his back.

Renado hastened to the two on the floor, the kids all looking on in fear from the table. The shaman didn't hesitate in lifting Link's hand from his torso to get a look at the damage. The flow of blood seemed to double upon the removal of his hand, and that was when the healer noticed that Link was clutching to a rolled up piece of cloth that he had ripped from his own tunic to staunch his bleeding – he was getting too good at this, Renado thought.

"What's wrong with Link?" Beth asked nervously.

Renado placed Link's hand back on top of his wound before turning to look at the young Hylian's weary face. His eyes were closed, a pained scowl present on his features even in unconsciousness. The older man glanced up at Ilia for a brief moment; she was gazing down at her life-long friend in her lap with an immeasurable amount of concern on her delicate face.

The shaman scooped Link up into his arms as he answered vaguely, "He's injured," and began making his way up the stairs.

He lay the hero down in what had become his own personal bed, followed at the heels by the children.

"We figured that much out already," Malo mumbled in his typical, disrespectful manner, taking his usual place beside the door.

Renado ignored the words of the rude adolescent as he removed the young man's dirty tunic, beaten-up mail, and ripped undershirt in turn, setting them aside on a nearby table. The eyes of the children did not falter, and he knew everyone in the room was wanting answers. Truthfully, though, he was still trying to figure it out for himself.

Link's chest and abdomen were terribly bruised, numerous purpling blotches covering his front from head to toe. Midna knew the bruises were from Zant's blasts of magic having hit Link multiple times, but the shaman just assumed they were from several strikes that were not strong enough to pierce his protective chainmail. His puncture wound sat right in between two of his abdominal muscles, just slightly to the left of center, and now that nothing was restricting it, it was bleeding quite profusely. Renado had noticed when he lifted him up to remove his top-half clothing that the injury did not carry through to his back, which was at least one positive. There was no blood escaping from his mouth or his nostrils meaning that his internal bleeding was at a minimum, which was another good sign. From the size and shape of the injury the healer was able to make a diagnosis.

He began dabbing a clean cloth around the wound, soaking up the stray blood that had begun overflowing. He could feel multiple eyes on him, and he knew they were all waiting for him to say something.

Taking a moment to find the appropriate words that wouldn't make it sound so fatal, he proclaimed, "It seems Link has taken a deep cut to his stomach."

"So, he was stabbed?" Malo reiterated in a low murmur, almost quiet enough to go unheard.

Ilia gave a slightly stifled gasp before staring into Renado's dark eyes and asking, "Is it… bad?"

"Truthfully, it is, but our hero has returned to us much worse off in the past. He is in pain, and he will require some days of rest and mending, but he will be alright," he answered honestly.

Ilia's gaze did not falter, "You're sure?"

"Yes," he said simply, returning his concentration to his patient.

The young girl seemed to be only a bit comforted by the shaman's words. She sat at Link's side and held his hand as Renado worked diligently on fixing up his latest injury. The kids soon after made their way downstairs to better play and occupy themselves as they had grown bored of doing naught but sitting, watching, and waiting. Even though they were still worried for their brother and it plagued their young hearts to see him hurt, they had become so accustomed to it by now that it was never a doubt in their minds that he would be up and around in only a short day or two's at most.

Ilia just prayed to the Goddesses that that would always be the case, and that the kids would never have to witness a day in which their hero wasn't able to overcome his injuries.

Hours passed by as the early morning faded into the afternoon and slowly into the evening. Renado had cleaned and sanitized Link's wound, stitched it closed, and then wrapped white gauze all the way around his waist. Ilia had stayed at his side the entire day, but now that the moon was taking the sun's place high in the sky and it was getting later, the young girl – along with all the others – took to their respective rooms in order to sleep for the night, knowing that their hero would be fine until morning.

That was when Midna took it upon herself to enter the world of light, completely uninhibited. She eased herself down onto the soft cot beside her comrade, resting on her shins as she leaned in a bit closer to his warm side. He looked serene in sleep, and she was glad to see him so tranquil. She wondered if he was having pleasant dreams.

She couldn't help but giggle at how adorable she found him. Renado had placed his loose, ivory undershirt back over the hero's bare chest just before retiring to his chambers for the night, and he had also laid a damp cloth on the young man's forehead in an attempt to lower his slightly raised temperature. Link's shaggy blond hair was messily splayed across his pillow, his right hand was resting gently on his lower chest, and his left lay straight at his side, giving Midna plenty of room to sit between his hip and his arm. His lips were just slightly parted, and his breathing was heavy, signaling that he was in a much-needed deep sleep.

She let him get his rest, simply sitting beside him and watching over him as he did so. She didn't care that she was in the light world and that she was visible to anyone should they decide to walk in; she wanted to be the first thing he would see when he awoke.

The events that had transpired in the throne room of the Twilight Realm kept replaying in her mind over and over again. He had almost died in the fight against Zant alone - having almost drowned and all that nonsense – and then he had to go and take the usurper king's knife to the gut… She couldn't understand someone doing something like that for her. She couldn't understand someone putting their life on the line for her. She couldn't understand so many things about her hero.

Her curiosity had started to plague her concerning his wound. She pulled the blanket down a bit, followed by lifting his shirt just slightly, and she could see the mostly-clean bandaging around his stomach. There were multiple dots of crimson just to the left of center, signifying that his injury was still bleeding beneath its bindings, but it was at least significantly less than previously.

She had found herself thinking about him differently than she used to. She couldn't explain it, and it also didn't make any sense to her, but she knew there was something there that wasn't there before.

Sometime after the moon had reached its zenith in the sky and was beginning to descend to make way for the sun, Link began to stir. She covered him back up as she watched him slowly come to. His eyelids fluttered open sluggishly, and she could tell he was struggling to focus at first. Then it was apparent that the pain in his middle suddenly came back to him as his brow tightened just ever so slightly, his eyes shutting firmly for a moment before he gradually reopened them.

What he saw as his vision cleared was the joyful, smiling face of his friend and partner. He couldn't help but smile in return as he took in the sight of her sitting beside him and felt the warmth of her leaning against him.

"Midna," his voice cracked a bit as he blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes, wondering if his vision was betraying him, "Aren't you worried someone is going to come in and see you?"

She shook her head, "I don't even care. I wanted to be right here when you woke up."

Link gave a crooked smile and a low chuckle, "Oh, I see. You wanted to be the first to chastise me."

"No," she said plainly, "I… I guess I just want to know why you did that."

His smile faded as he furrowed his brow, "What do you mean?"

"I don't get why you would risk getting yourself killed just to keep me from getting hurt."

He seemed taken aback; he was even at a loss for words as he remained silent.

She noticed this, and continued, "Your life is so much more valuable than mine. You have countless people that love and care about you. You have people that are depending on you. If you had died… this world would have been doomed."

"If you had died, I would have been doomed."

Her jaw hung open as she tried to find some kind of response, but she was completely dumbstruck.

"Don't say that my life is more valuable than yours - don't ever say that. I don't hold myself above anyone, and certainly not you. You mean everything to me, and I would dive in front of a thousand more blades to save you if I had to."

She felt a quick burst of butterflies in her tummy, and her cheeks were threatening to flush an embarrassing shade that she would dare not utter.

She still could not find her voice, so he went on, "To say that your life isn't of value would mean that my actions to save it were just the same. I did it because I couldn't keep going if something were to happen to you. You ask why I did it as if you didn't expect it of me… I thought I had made it pretty clear up to this point in showing just how much you mean to me."

"Y-You have…" she stammered.

"Good," he smirked playfully before closing his eyes again.

"Are you still tired?" she asked, desperate to change the subject.

"A bit, I suppose," he answered with a yawn.

"Are you in pain?"

"A bit, I suppose," he replied equably with another teasing grin displayed on his thin lips.

She giggled, "Can I ever get a straight answer from you?"

"Mm…" he yawned again, "Maybe."

She shook her head as she smiled to herself at his constant lightheartedness that never seemed to waver – no matter the circumstance.

Before another word could be said, he was already far away in a distant dreamland once again, and Midna was left with the silence and her thoughts.

She knew that they had each grown extremely close to one another over the past year, but the way he spoke and his choice of words… made it sound like there was something more.

But she was probably just over-thinking things – as usual.

He merely considered her his best friend and irreplaceable companion that he couldn't finish his journey without, and that was it.

Wasn't it?

She shook her head again, trying to clear her mind of her racing thoughts.

Why was her heart beating faster? For Din's sake.

Why was she even contemplating what he thought of her or what she thought of him? Why was she even debating what this relationship was - if it was even anything at all? Why… when she knew that even if there was something there, it could never be…

Could it?

For the love of Nayru! She couldn't get her head to stop spinning! Her palms were sweating… Her heart was racing… He looked so handsome lying beside her fast asleep… What in the world was wrong with her?

"Ugh!" she whispered under her breath as she flew out the nearby open window, desperate for some fresh air.

She hovered high above the roof of the Elde Inn, taking in a deep breath as she took higher and higher into the sky. She exhaled slowly once she was a good dozen or so feet above the top of the hotel. She gazed out at the horizon, watching the moon disappear to the west beyond Death Mountain as the sun rose in the east above Lake Hylia. She inhaled and exhaled several times in an attempt to calm her rapid heartbeat and clear her racing mind. As she turned to look at Hyrule Castle, however, she saw something strange.

She squinted as she struggled to make out what she was witnessing. She flew a tiny bit closer, just barely past the borders of Kakariko Village, to try and get a better look. From afar, it was just a large, dark mass of Din knows what, but the closer she got, she was able to tell that it was a huge group of Bulblins.

She reverted herself into a shadow and moved ever closer, now hovering over Hyrule Field, eager to see what was happening. Now that she was near enough to make it all out, she saw that it was dozens of Bulblins marching through the field and heading towards Kakariko.

Her eyes widened as she glanced back at the small town and realized that they didn't have much farther to travel before they would be at the village's doorstep. She gasped more loudly than she intended as she hastily whipped around and soared as fast as she could back towards the dilapidated inn.

The sun was still on the rise, and the dark sky of night was no longer visible. The Gorons were all awake and beginning their morning routines, and if the villagers had woken up this morning as early as they had the day prior, she assumed that they would already be awake and eating breakfast in the hotel.

She hurried to the window she knew to be Link's, but when she arrived, she noticed that he had company. She hid in the shadow of a nearby tree that was dancing on the window sill, staying as invisible as she possibly could as she looked in on her hero.

That was when she noticed that it was only him and Ilia in the room. She was sitting on the bed beside him with her hand lying atop his which was on his chest. He was still sleeping, and with her other hand she was stroking his hair.

When the young Ordonian girl leaned in and pecked his forehead, Midna's cheeks grew hot with a jealousy she had never felt before. The motion caused Link to stir, and since the window was open the imp was able to make out their conversation.

"Hi, Link," she chimed happily as he slowly came to alertness.

He smiled weakly, but remained quiet as he was still in the process of fully waking up.

"I wanted to be the first one you saw when you got up," she added with a grin.

A burst of anger suddenly erupted in the imp's chest.

Link blushed, remembering that Midna had said something similar, "Oh… well," he cleared his throat, "It looks like you succeeded."

She smiled again before asking, "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah. I mean, it's not the worst thing I've felt," he grimaced and gave a dark chuckle.

Ilia smiled a bit grimly as she added, "I was so worried when you stumbled in here yesterday. When you collapsed in my arms… I thought you weren't going to be okay."

Trying to make light of the situation, Link cut in with an awkward laugh, "I've survived worse."

She ignored his attempt at ending the conversation there and went on, "You need to be more careful. We're all so worried about you all the time. Maybe try not to be so reckless?"

Link sighed inwardly – she really had no idea the gravity of the situation, "You're probably right; I could be more careful," he gave in, not having the energy to explain everything or argue at the moment.

"By the way, Link… There's something I've been meaning to ask you," she began, a sudden flirtatious look on her face that frightened Link – he had an idea of where this was going. "Why is it I've told you that I love you, but you've never said it back?"

"U-Uh," Link stuttered, his heart skipping a beat as he thought of what to say.

Ilia giggled sweetly, "You don't have to be shy, silly."

"I-I, uh…" Link's mind was in a flurry; Midna could spot it from the window.

He _did_ love her, he knew it deep down, he just wasn't sure if it was the same kind of love she was wanting him to reciprocate. His heart _did_ flutter around her, he _did_ see her as incredibly beautiful, and he _did_ always enjoy being in her company… perhaps that meant it really was the same kind of love that she had for him? Trying to figure out his heart's desires only proved to frustrate him. He had no idea what love was; he had no idea what he was feeling – for Ilia, or…

"Link?" she called again, snapping him from his rampaging thoughts. She furrowed her brow, taking his look of concentration for one of pain, "Are you alright? Are you hurting?"

He shook his head, "I'm okay… I was just thinking about what you said."

She perked up and smiled, "Oh?"

"I think… I feel the same," he finally said as he gazed into her eyes that seemed to sparkle upon hearing his words.

"Oh, Link!" she chirped gleefully, and Link couldn't help but smile at her reaction. It was good for her spirits to hear him say it, whether it was true or not – he truthfully didn't know what his heart wanted. He figured, why not make her happy until he knew for sure?

Unable to control her emotions, Ilia leaned in and pressed her lips firmly to his. His eyes went wide upon impact, and he stared at her closed lids as he registered what was happening. After a moment, he gave in, his heart beating a million times a second as she ran her fingers through his hair. He hadn't been expecting it in the slightest, and it shocked him to say the least. But above all… he liked it.

Just outside the window, Midna's heart fell into her stomach. She watched the two embrace for mere seconds that felt like eons. She didn't understand why it was eating her up so much… She had witnessed his lifelong friend fawn over him before and it hadn't gotten to her like it was now. Now… it felt like she had been the one to take Zant's knife to the gut.

Loud shrieks and screams suddenly reached her ears, and she was quickly reminded of what she had seen in Hyrule Field. She cursed herself inwardly for getting caught up in the matters of her heart when she should have rushed in and warned Link about the impending assault. She had gotten so overwhelmed by what she was seeing that it completely slipped her mind.

Just as she was about to dive in through the window and warn him despite the fact that she would be seen, the door to his room swung open.

Colin stumbled in and shouted, "Link! Come qui-"

The sudden disturbance caused the two on the bed to quickly separate.

"Link? Ilia? Wha-" Colin hesitated as he realized what he had just witnessed.

Link cut him off in order to avoid the question, "What is it, Colin?"

He shook his head, refocusing on the problem at hand, "It's the others! Downstairs! Monsters are attacking the vill-"

"AHH!" Ilia suddenly screeched at the top of her lungs as a Bulblin burst in through the door behind Colin, shrieking as it did so.

Link shot up, a loud moan of pain escaping his lips as he was reminded of his wound. He paid it no mind as he pushed Ilia behind him and moved in front of her on the edge of the bed, glancing frantically around the room in search of his weapon – or anything else that could be used as a weapon that was in reach.

Colin screamed as the beast lifted its club overhead, preparing to strike the young boy with it. Unable to quickly locate the Master Sword, Link instinctively grabbed the next best thing. He leapt off the edge of the bed and grasped the end of the fiend's own weapon. With it still holding on to the handle, Link swung the opposite end of the club around, causing the Bulblin to go flying into the opposite wall. Link glanced over his shoulder to make sure that the troll wasn't going to get up and take him by surprise, but another fiend bursting in the door in front of him drew his attention away from the former.

With the previous Bulblin's club still in hand, the hero whacked the second intruder harshly against its skull, sending it to the floor in a flash. Colin cowered in the corner behind the door before screaming his brother's name and pointing at the first attacker that was preparing for another go, eager to get revenge after having been flung across the room.

Finally spotting the blade of evil's bane resting against the wall beneath the window, Link went for it with haste. That was when he spotted a small, shadowy figure hovering just outside the window with one visibly glowing eye. He knew it immediately to be Midna, but he was confused – what was she doing outside of his shadow?

"Link!" Ilia yelped, drawing his attention back to the battle.

He whirled around, knowing that the Bulblin was directly behind him due to how disgustingly loud the creature was. He impaled it clean through the heart, ending its life in a split, painless second. Ilia screamed at the sudden spurt of the monster's blood, covering her face with her hands in terror. The hero doubled over temporarily, grasping at his middle as even simply standing was excruciating.

But he wasn't given even a moment's respite as Colin suddenly grabbed him by the hand and shouted, "The others are in danger, Link!" and started dragging him down the hall.

He heard Ilia's footsteps behind him and called back, "Stay in there, Ilia! I don't want you getting hurt!"

"No! I have to make sure you're okay!" she spat back, chasing the duo down the stairs.

He huffed in frustration, but he knew there was no arguing with her. Once they were halfway to the first floor, he spotted the rest of the children hiding in the kitchen behind Renado. The shaman had overturned the dining table so that it was resting on its side, allowing the flat surface to serve as their shield as the mindless creatures bashed their clubs relentlessly against it.

Link noticed that there were only four of the ogres, and he began instantly figuring out what he was going to do in his mind. Hoping to draw the demons away so as to avoid slaying them mere inches from the eyes of the kids, Link banged the steel of his blade against the stairwell's banister.

"Hey, uglies," he called vociferously, "Over here."

They each turned instantly and snarled at him. As they began making their way over to him, Link motioned for Colin and Ilia to go find safety behind the table with the others. They obliged, Renado waving for them to hurry and they did just that.

Link spun the hilt of his blade once in his hand before tightening his grip. He wanted to end these beasts as quickly and cleanly as possible in order to keep the children from seeing, hearing – or even smelling – something too gruesome. He knew just how to do it to keep it as simple as possible, that wasn't the problem. The problem was that he had only been stabbed a day ago, and his abdomen was still aching something awful.

He lunged forward and pierced the first Bulblin straight through the chest, pulled out his sword, and did the same with the second. The third had gone around to Link's back, and he would have normally responded by whirling around and either lobbing the monster's head from its shoulders or slicing deeply across its front, but he knew both would be too messy. Instead, he did the same thing that he had done to the two prior. The fourth, however, picked up on the hero's routine, and as Link was about to spin back around to finish the last one off, it smacked him painfully in his middle with its club.

Link yelped out loud in pain, crumbling to his knees on the ground as he grasped at his torso. His weapon fell from his hands and clanked a couple of feet away. He looked down at his stomach through his now-watery eyes, and his undershirt was now soaked in crimson – he had reopened his wound.

"Link!" he heard someone gasp, but he couldn't tell who. He couldn't get up, couldn't move; he was momentarily paralyzed in sheer agony.

The kids watched on in horror as the pesky Bulblin cackled above their hero, raising its club and preparing for another swing. Colin, however, knew what had to be done, and since no one else was brave enough to do it, it was up to him.

He leapt up from his safe place behind the shaman, causing the older man to bark angrily at the boy to get back to him. Colin paid him no mind. He dashed across the room to where his brother was crumpled on the floor. He looked up at the Bulblin's hideous face as it snarled and crowed, saliva dripping from its dark mouth as its red eyes chilled the little boy to the bone. He was afraid, but he ignored it. He quickly ducked down and picked up his hero's dropped sword. It was extremely heavy in his hands, almost as if it was resisting his touch, but he grasped it hastily and wrapped his pudgy fingers around its hilt in the manner that Link had shown him previously.

As the Bulblin shrieked a loud battle cry thinking that it was about to be the victor, Colin hurriedly plunged the sword through its belly. The boy's jaw fell slack as he watched the vile creature writhe on the end of the blade. It gurgled and choked as its own blood overflowed from its mouth. Colin freaked out at the sight and let go of the hilt, causing the Bulblin to tumble backwards with the sword still sticking out of its middle.

Having heard the loud thud beside him, Link was brought back to reality. He stumbled to his feet, almost having fallen if it weren't for the stable hands of his younger brother at his side. Link looked down at the dying fiend, still sputtering and expiring slowly. The hero grabbed the blade's handle, pulled it from the monster's gut, and instead pierced it through its heart, ending its suffering. Its burbling stopped in an instant as its final breath fled its lungs.

"Are you alright?" Link asked, turning to Colin.

The boy seemed utterly shocked, his eyes wide as saucers as he stuttered, "Y-Yeah… I'm ok-kay…"

Link nodded, taking the Master Sword from their enemy's body for the final time before wiping it and sheathing it. In the back of his mind, he was curious as to why the Blade of Evil's Bane had allowed itself to be wielded by Colin, when in the past no one else had been able to so much as lift it. In his weary state, however, it was not the most important thing to be fretting over. The little boy had stepped forward and saved his life; the 'how' or 'why' didn't matter at the moment.

"Is it safe?" Beth's quiet voice called from behind their makeshift barricade.

Link went to the closed window beside the exit to get a look at the outside. He could see countless Bulblins storming through the town, matched by much fewer Gorons. The rock creatures were doing well to exterminate most of the pests, but it was clear that some had been able to slip past them – and it could probably happen again.

"It's safe in here, for now," the hero stated, turning back towards them as they apprehensively stood from their hiding place, "But there's still a lot of them out there. I need to go out and he-"

Renado quickly cut him off, "Absolutely not," he demanded, making his way across the now-messy room, "I can see clearly that you are in pain, and it seems you have torn open the stitches in your wound. No," he firmly shook his head, "I will not stand aside and let you get yourself injured any farther, or even killed for that matter. The Gorons can handle it just fine."

Link heaved a sigh, but he knew that the shaman was right.

"Alright… Then we at least need to secure this place a bit better," he gave in as he walked over to the table that they had turned over in the kitchen and lifted it up. After taking only a few steps, though, he winced and groaned, dropping it to the ground as the strain was too much on his injury.

Renado went to him, "Let me," he said, placing a gentle hand on the young man's shoulder for a moment to calm him and to let him know that he knew what he was trying to do and that he could take it from there. The healer lifted the table from where Link had accidentally dropped it and carried it over to the door. He left the table on its side, but angled it so that the doorknob rested on its edge, making it impossible for anymore of the fiends to get in through it.

Link nodded when Renado turned back to him, signifying his thanks.

"We will be safe in here now," Renado reassured, calming the young one's rapid heartbeats.

"Ohhhh MAN!" Talo suddenly shouted, bounding across the floor to Colin. He wrapped his arms around the blond boy's shoulders and squealed, "You killed that thing! That was so AWESOME!"

Colin feigned a smile in his direction, "Y-Yeah…"

"You were very brave," Luda added as she, too, approached him.

"Yeah! You totally reminded me of Link!" Beth chirped.

"I guess it was kinda cool," Malo muttered.

Link noticed that Colin was a bit uncomfortable with the whole situation, and after composing himself he went to the boy's side and placed his hand on his shoulder. He turned to the other kids and said, "Let's give him some space to relax, alright?"

The kids groaned, but still took a few steps back to give him some breathing room. Link glanced down at the timid boy and gave him a half-smile and a reassuring nod – he understood that he was still trying to cope with what he had just done and seen; he could remember very clearly what that had felt like.

"Link," Ilia called sweetly as she walked over to him with a concerned look on her face, "You're hurt, why don't you go lie back down?"

"Yes, Link, she's right," Renado added, "I need to re-stitch that wound of yours. Let's get you upstai-"

"No," Link said flatly, "I agreed to not go out there and help fight, but I need to stay down here to make sure no more of those beasts get inside."

Renado appeared as if he was about to disagree with that as well, so Link went on.

"I won't be able to rest without knowing if everyone is safe in here. At least if I'm down here, making sure nothing is getting through this door, I will be able to sit and recuperate with my peace of mind."

The shaman exhaled, "Alright, my boy, I understand. Luda," he turned to his daughter, "Could you please fetch my tools?"

The quiet girl nodded obediently before heading upstairs. She came down only a moment or two later with her small arms full. Renado picked up two stools that had been overturned in the commotion and set them upright. He sat in one and motioned for Link to sit in the other. The hero removed his now-bloodied shirt and sat upright as the healer began his work.

The kids and Ilia tried talking to him through the process, both of trivial and unimportant things, but Link could hardly focus on their words. All he could feel was the horrible stinging of alcohol on his open flesh, followed by the excruciating burning of the needle repeatedly piercing his skin. He bit his lip and held his breath with his eyes shut tight, praying that the torture would end soon.

In truth, it had lasted only around fifteen or twenty minutes, but to Link it felt like hours. Once Renado was done, Link stumbled over to the window to have another look at what was going on. The battle was beginning to slowly die down, but there were still monsters outside. He plopped himself down on the hard ground beside the door, and was unintentionally out cold in a matter of seconds.

Renado allowed him to rest there for quite some time, knowing that if he awoke and was in his bed before the turmoil outside had come to an end that he would be livid. The kids had peered out the window at the mighty rock creatures valiantly defending the village for the remainder of the onslaught, and they cheered excitedly when the battle was over and they were determined the victor.

Link remained asleep through it all, and once it was over, Renado lifted him up and moved him gently to his bed. For the rest of the afternoon and even once again into nightfall, the hero was unconscious. He slept peacefully into the dusk, the shaman having left a glass of water and an apple at his bedside should he awaken during the night and need to quench his thirst or quell his hunger.

As the twilight faded into complete darkness, the villagers took to their respective beds to rest for the night. Renado had stepped outside just before sundown to ask the Gorons if they could double the watch, ensuring that the inn was well-guarded. Even Barnes - who usually preferred to stay by himself in his bomb shop - had closed his store and settled into the empty guest room of the inn for the night.

It was apparent that evil was gaining far too much strength; it had to be stopped.

Sometime in the middle of the night, rustling at the hero's side caused him to shift to awareness. He awoke to see none other than his best friend and companion sitting next to him on his warm mattress.

He smiled at her and croaked, "I'm glad to see you. I got worried when I saw you outside the window earlier."

She didn't say anything.

He narrowed his eyes in perplexity, "What were you doing out there anyway?"

"Does it really matter?" she spat angrily.

He was taken aback.

She sighed, quickly changing her tone, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you – it's just been a rough day."

He shook his head, dismissing her apology, "You didn't get hurt out there, did you?"

"No," she answered honestly, "They couldn't see me. Some of the gutsier ones actually tried climbing in through this window; they must've seen that it was open. I just took them by surprise, grabbed them, and launched them over the mountain," she laughed, "They had no idea what even hit them."

He still wore a confused expression, "I just don't understand… Why were you out of my shadow?"

"Ugh," she huffed, "I just needed some fresh air! Okay? I went out there, saw the Bulblins coming from the castle, and I came back to warn you but instead I saw… I saw…"

He furrowed his brow, "Saw what? What would stop you from warning me about an attack?"

She looked into his deep, cobalt eyes, and then quickly looked away, "Um… I saw…" She hesitated. She glanced back up at him, then away again.

"What, Midna?" he pressed.

She exhaled once and quickly blurted, "I saw you kiss her."

Link's cheeks instantly grew hot as they flushed a dark shade of crimson.

He looked away from her as he stammered, "O-Oh, that?" he said it in an attempt to sound nonchalant about the situation, but Midna could see right through it, "You mean, when _she_ kissed _me_?"

The imp scoffed, "Does it really matter who initiated it? You seemed to be enjoying yourself."

"W-Well," he stuttered, still very much flustered by the whole topic, "Why do you even care? It's not like you have a reason to be jealous; it's not like we have feelings for each other or something," he finished with an awkward chuckle.

Midna looked up at him with a look of bewilderment on her petite features before turning away. Her heart ached with a pain she had never felt before. She didn't understand it. After all, he was right, wasn't he? They _didn't_ have feelings for each other, and therefore she did _not_ have a reason to be jealous.

…Right?

She looked at him with wetness in her lashes that she was desperate to keep him from seeing, "I guess you're right," she whispered with a shaky voice before taking off out of the window, giving him not even a second to reply.

"Midna, wai-" he stopped himself, knowing she was no longer listening.

He heaved a heavy sigh, relaxing the muscles that he didn't even realize he had been tensing throughout the entire conversation. He pulled the blanket higher over his bare chest, realizing that his ivory shirt was likely being washed and mended by Luda or Renado – or even… Ilia.

Ilia… She had finally taken the initiative and kissed him; Din knows all of the villagers back home in Ordon had been anticipating a romance between the two young lovebirds for as long as Link had been living there. It was expected, predetermined, and predictable. She had always been there, and would likely continue to be there long into the future. Honestly, at one point in time he had seen himself with her for life just as his neighbors did.

But now? He had no idea.

He didn't know if he could even think of ever settling down after all that he had been through. He was beginning to come to the grim realization that life would never be the same again. He would never again find the simple joy in tending to the goats – as he thought of it now, it sounded dull. He would never again find peace in the towering trees and enclosing foliage – as he thought of it now, it sounded claustrophobic. He would never again consider a life where every day was the same from dawn until dusk comforting – as he thought of it now, it sounded dreadful.

Would he give up his happiness to live in the village with those that raised and loved him when no one else would?

Or… would he see those same loved ones suffer in order to fulfill his own desires?

He sighed again; he was thinking too much into it. He could still be happy with Ilia, he thought to himself. It was true, he _did_ love her, but he wasn't sure if it was simply a love of the familiar, a love of something that he knew would always be there no matter what, or if it was truly a romantic love for _her_.

Either way, she was happy, and he couldn't lie and say that he didn't enjoy her kiss.

But… Midna had seen it, and she seemed so upset…

Why? Link wondered; she had never shown any sign of jealousy in the past, and he had had multiple intimate conversations with Ilia that she had witnessed before. So… where was her behavior coming from?

Had he been wrong in saying that they didn't have feelings for each other? Of course not! They were friends – best friends, even – two individuals who found everlasting comfort and solace in one another's company. Two individuals who had shared every day of the last year at each other's side. Two individuals who had witnessed the other's best days along with their worst days, but had accepted and loved them on both. Two individuals… Oh, Din…

Was he wrong?

He looked to the window, hearing nothing but the quiet chirping of crickets, and seeing nothing but empty darkness. He dropped his head back into the soft pillow with a sigh.

She had no reason to be jealous… They had no feelings for each other…

She had no reason to be jealous.

Was he wrong?

Pfft! Link chuckled to himself. Of course he wasn't wrong! This was the same girl that chastised and teased him day in and day out! The same girl that loved watching him squirm and blush in embarrassment! The same girl that laughed at his mistakes and constantly pointed out all of his flaws! The same girl that… cared for him when he was sick… patched him up when he was wounded… carried him when he was weak… listened and reasoned with him when he panicked… comforted him when he was lost… loved him when he was unlovable…

He was wrong… wasn't he?

She had a reason to be jealous…

They did have feelings for each other…

Oh, Goddesses…

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_**How does one choose between what is familiar and what is fresh?**_

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**A/N: Well, **that all just happened. What did you think? Hate me? Love me? Let me know how you feel about what you just read!

Don't forget to go 'like' my Facebook page for sneak peeks and other goodies! **Selphie Kinneas 175**

Review, review, review!

'Til next time, everyone!


	54. Honest Dishonesty

**A/N: **Hello readers! Sorry about another long wait; I really am trying to get the chapters up faster, but everything's getting so... deep. It's a draining business, but alas, here is the next chapter!

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**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 54: Honest Dishonesty

**.:.**

Link's mind had ran him ragged that night and the one following. He literally _thought_ himself into exhaustion; of course, his injury didn't help, but he pinned it entirely on the mental aspect.

Now he had the hearts of two of his closest friends in the palms of his hands – as if he didn't already have enough on his shoulders. He had debated his feelings regarding either side so much that he was beginning to wonder if he had simply lost his mind and it had all been merely a dream. He was proven it was reality, though, every time he called for Midna and she did not respond, and every time Ilia would come into his room and mention his confession or his kiss.

What had he gotten himself into?

By the following morning, he reminded himself of the much more important task at hand, telling himself that the affairs of his heart needed to be put on the back burner. He was at the end of it all, the climax of his journey – the girls and whatever emotions he affiliated with them would simply have to wait.

He got out of bed at dawn, and he couldn't help but wince as he attempted to stretch his arms high above his head at the subsequent pain in his middle. It had stopped bleeding the day prior, but Renado didn't hesitate in reiterating that he was still on the mend and needed some more time to fully heal. He reluctantly agreed, but that didn't mean he couldn't get out of bed and, say… take a stroll around the village.

The sun had just peaked over the horizon, and so no one was awake just yet. He knew they would be up soon, so he knew if he was going to get some fresh air without the nagging of the shaman he would have to do it now or not at all. That's not to say he didn't understand that the 'nagging' came from a good place, and that's not to say he didn't appreciate how strongly they all cared for his wellbeing, it was just that he felt like a caged bird being cooped up in that room all day – he was just eager to spread his wings in the open air.

He got to his feet, carefully throwing on his loose, ivory top as he whispered, "Midna?"

There was no response. He glanced all around the room, down at his own shadow, and poked his head out the window, but he saw no sign of her.

He heaved a sigh; he knew she was upset, but surely she was mature enough to understand that they had a job to do, and that he couldn't do it without her.

Oh well, he thought, maybe it was best that she get another day or two to relax and cool her head. Din knows he wouldn't want there to be any tension between the two of them when they were to head off to face Ganondorf. They both needed to be focused, not distracted by their feelings – or whatever it was that they had – for each other.

He noiselessly made his way down the stairs, a rank smell reaching his nose as he did so. He looked around the large, bottom floor of the inn, noticing that they had removed the carcasses of the Bulblins, but the blood stains were still very much present on the wooden floor. There were broken chairs and various other pieces of furniture that had been destroyed in the attack. He sighed; he didn't want his friends to live like this, in constant fear. He had to put a stop to it – there was simply no other choice.

On his way out, he attempted to set upright an end table that had been overturned in the prior commotion, but as he knelt down to pick it up, a sharp pain erupted in his torso. He groaned, giving up and leaving it as it was before heading out onto the patio with a huff.

The number of Gorons that had come down from the mountain to help their brethren guard the village was inspiring; Link was almost positive that the crater had to be completely emptied. There were four at the northern entrance, six at the south, two at each building, and numerous others simply wandered about. It lifted a huge weight from the hero's spirit to know that his loved ones would be extremely well protected while he was away.

He took in a deep breath as he looked out across the rundown village. It hurt his heart to know that this place was once lively and bustling, only to become mostly uninhabited and decrepit when the Twilight descended. However, it hurt his heart even more to realize that he had killed most of the innocent villagers after they had been forcibly transformed into beasts of shadow. The only way he could live with the guilt and regret was by telling himself that there was no other way, and that, honestly, he had put them out of their misery. There was no way to change them back, so it was better for them to be at peace in the Sacred Realm than trapped in malevolent forms that were not their own for an eternity.

He exhaled as he diverted his attention to the gloomy sky. Dark, gray clouds had long since filled the once bright blue atmosphere. He could feel the evil in the wind, smell it in the air, and hear it in the emptiness. He remembered standing in this exact same spot and thinking this very same thing not too long ago, just after having restored Ilia's memory. Now, though, the feeling was multiplied by at least a dozen. The sheer wickedness that was so thick in the air chilled him to the bone; he couldn't help but wonder if he was the only one that could feel it.

"It is not wise to linger outdoors," an unexpected voice rang suddenly behind him.

He turned around to see the mature face of the shaman. He took a few strides forward, standing now beside Link and leaning against the railing just as he was.

"Especially when one is injured, such as you are," he added.

"I know, I just felt like I couldn't breathe in there," Link stated, inhaling deeply as he proceeded to think aloud, "But I've found it isn't any easier out here."

"I'm sure you've felt it, too, then," Renado said, gazing out over the once proud town he had always called home.

Link looked at him in bewilderment; perhaps he wasn't the only one that could sense it.

Renado turned to him, "The pure malice in the air. It is almost as if our very oxygen is poisoned," he elaborated, returning his eyes to the nature around him, "It seems as if all living things are affected by it, whether subconsciously or otherwise. You feel this, too, don't you?"

Link nodded when the shaman looked to him for a reply, "I do. I've felt it for quite some time, only now, it's much worse…" he paused, contemplating something in his mind before speaking it, "You don't suppose the kids can feel this… do you?"

Renado turned away, a bit of a disparaging look on his sage-like features, "I cannot say for sure. I do believe they can sense it – I have noticed that they tire much more quickly, and they do not play nearly as much as they once did."

"That could also be a result of everything they've been through, though," Link noted.

"Yes, it could be. But I do not doubt that their senses are in tune to this growing evil; children _are_ more observant than adults, I'm sure you already know."

Link looked away and sighed. Silence befell the two for a number of heartbeats, with nothing but the sound of the wind rushing through the town reaching their ears.

"I have to bring it to an end," Link said at last.

Renado turned to him, but the hero did not reciprocate the gesture.

"I'm sure you haven't been blind to the fact that this malevolence is Ganondorf, evil incarnate himself," Link began.

The shaman took in a deep breath, keeping a calm exterior for the young man's sake, but inside his stomach was doing somersaults. It was true, he had always known deep down that _that man_ was responsible for Hyrule's recent descent into turmoil, but hearing Link say it made it that much more real, that much more _terrifying_.

"It's up to me to defeat him, and, well…"

Renado suddenly knew where this was going.

"I'm not entirely sure I'll make it," Link finally blurted, at last turning to meet the concerned, dark eyes of the healer.

Renado opened his mouth to say something, but Link silenced him as he raised an open palm.

"You don't have to say anything. I just need to know that the kids will be safe. They need to get back to their parents, and once my deed is done, the field should be safe to travel again…"

"Link-"

"Just make sure they know that I did everything I could, and leaving them was never my intention."

"Link-" he tried again, but was cut off just the same.

"I just don't want them to think I abandoned them… I want them to know that what I did was to ensure their safety. I-"

"Link!" he finally yelled, instantly silencing the hero. Renado exhaled once slowly, calming himself back down before saying, "This pessimistic outlook on the situation will be what does you in."

Link opened his mouth to argue, but found he had no plausible argument.

So Renado went on, "I will not lie and tell you that it will be easy, or that I believe you will finish the battle both victorious _and_ unscathed, because I'm sure by now that you've come to accept that neither of those things are true. I will, however, tell you that there is not a bone in my body that doubts you. I know you can defeat this evil, as does everyone else. If you could not do it, the Goddesses would not have chosen you. You have what it takes. It may be a grim realization, but all this hardship that being the chosen hero has put you through this past year has made you incredibly strong – both physically and mentally. I know you can do it. The problem is… _you_ have to know you can do it."

He paused to examine Link's expression, but the young man said nothing. Renado turned to face him straight on, placing his hands on his shoulders to make sure he had his full attention and that he knew his next words were serious.

"This negativity will ruin you. You mustn't think this way, or else _you_ will be what ultimately ends your own life. If you cannot find it in yourself to be confident and optimistic, then take that energy from your friends and loved ones. There is not a soul that is aware of your journey that doubts in your victory. Please, Link… You need to realize how vital trusting in yourself is to your cause."

Link stared into the unwavering gaze of the wise man as he did just the same. Renado did not break his stare, making sure that his words had proper time to sink in and sit with the hero before pulling away.

Link was the one to look away, glancing down at his bare feet and the wooden porch beneath them. A minute later, he looked back up at Renado and said, "Thank you… For everything you've done for me and my friends and family."

Renado dropped his hands from the young man's shoulders, shaking his head in an attempt to protest, "That isn't necessa-"

Before he could finish his statement, Link grabbed the shaman in for a much-deserved hug. Renado was a bit taken aback, but after a moment, he couldn't help but reciprocate the gesture, wrapping his long arms around Link just the same.

There was an overwhelming comfort in the embrace. These arms had carried him when he was on death's door time and time again. These hands had kept his very heart beating when it was much too close to stopping more times than he could count. He was alive because of this man, and he knew, no matter how hard he tried, that there was simply no way he could ever begin to repay him, or even simply justify his thanks.

Renado pulled away after several long minutes, and Link couldn't shake the feeling that the gesture was also a sort of farewell as well as a long overdue thank you. He disregarded the thought, reminding himself of the shaman's previous words about having faith in himself.

After separating, Renado considered shrugging off the young man's sincere thank you much as he usually did (and as he had started to before Link had gripped him in the hug), simply feeling that the thanks were not necessary as he was only doing what he felt he had to. He knew, however, that that would do nothing for his spirit. No… too often everyone dismissed his thanks and replied with a meaningless response; he knew it would do the hero good to hear someone actually accept his genuine thanks and take them to heart.

So, despite his initial reaction, Renado thoughtfully said, "You are so very welcome, Link, and I will continue to look after them as well as you for as long as I live – and I mean that whole-heartedly."

Link smiled, not really sure of what he should say next. It seemed to the hero that not only could Renado heal with his hands, but he could heal with his words, too.

Finally breaking what had turned into a prolonged silence, Link said, "I just came out here to get some fresh air and a good stretch. So, if you don't mind, I'm just going to take a short walk around the village."

The shaman seemed a bit skeptical, but he knew it would be good for the young Ordonian's weary soul to get away from everything, even if only for a short time, and take a solitary stroll to collect his thoughts – Din knows he's got enough on his mind to drive a thousand men crazy.

"Alright, my son, but do not stray too far, and remember that you are still weak so be careful not to exert yourself, please; if not for your sake then for mine."

Link nodded, "I'll be back before you even realize I'm gone," he said with a smirk before heading down the steps onto the dusty terrain that made Kakariko so recognizable.

Renado smiled at his ever-present playful spirit that never seemed to dampen even when things were grim. He considered remaining outside to keep an eye on the hero, but he knew that he simply needed some time alone with his thoughts, and he trusted the Gorons to keep him safe should the worst happen.

Link could hear the door to the inn click shut behind him, and he knew that Renado had given him the space he so longed for. He wanted to find a place in which he was entirely alone. No children, no Gorons, no Midna. He simply needed a moment where he could hear naught but his own mind, feel nothing but his own beating heart, and see not a soul before him – his sanity depended on it.

Realizing that the rock creatures had their eyes on him over every square inch of the village, he made his way slowly towards the graveyard, somewhere he knew would be devoid of anyone else.

He loved the company of the children, appreciated the presence of the Gorons, and cherished every moment that Midna was in his life, but he had begun to realize that over the past year he rarely ever had a spare moment to himself. That was probably why he was so constantly on the verge of insanity, because he never had even a second to reflect within himself and contemplate his own thoughts and feelings about everything that was happening to him and around him.

He was glad, for the moment, to be alone.

He entered the desolate graveyard, and the eerie silence chilled him to the bone. It was so dry, so empty, so… sad. He walked lightly, knowing that countless bodies lay lifelessly beneath his feet. He gazed at the headstones as he passed by, most of the letters and names having been worn away over the course of time. His heart ached; below the dirt lay what once was real people… real people, with real names, real lives, and real history – a story, if you will – but now, not even their names could be deciphered on the stones of their graves. He had no way of knowing what the people now buried in the earth had done in their lives. Had they died suddenly, viciously, their lives still yet to be avenged? Or had they died heroically, bravely, their lives put on the line to save the former's? Each body once housed a soul, a soul that lived a life that held no meaning in this day and age. Their stories were not being told, their names all but erased from memory.

He couldn't help but wonder if his fate would be the same.

A faint glimmer in the corner of his eye caught his attention, drawing him away from the grim setting. What he saw at the opposite end of the clearing was a familiar sight that he had not seen in quite some time. He smiled and made his way over to the golden wolf.

He closed his eyes as the beast prepared to lunge; he knew the routine by now. He knew he would have a headache when he woke up, and he hoped none of the children would find him lying in the graveyard as they would likely think the worst, but he simply could not pass up the opportunity to see the old spirit again – he had so many questions he was just dying to ask.

When he reopened his eyes, he found himself once again on the ethereal plane he had visited a few times in the past. He looked up and saw that the wolf had transformed into the decrepit skeleton he had met before. Link got to his feet, and just as he was about to say something, the spirit spoke up first.

"We meet again," the deep voice echoed in the hallow chasm, "There are skills I still have yet to teach you, forgotten ways of the blade that do not leave our bloodline."

Link was confused. Referring to '_our bloodline_' was almost entirely giving his identity away, and yet, he was acting distant and cold, and not like the hero he had seen back in the Temple of Time. Were they one in the same… or not?

Before Link could pose one of his many questions, the spirit jumped into a lesson without giving him even a moment to consider anything else. The spirit showed him better, more intelligent ways to sidestep an adversary that it would certainly not expect. The spirit showed him a quick, foolproof way to roll quickly behind an enemy and slice cleanly at its backside before it could even realize what had hit it. The spirit showed him ways to trick a foe into making it anticipate one move and performing something entirely different, how to more effectively use his guard, and how to put more power into each swing without overextending it and leaving himself open.

He wasn't aware of how much time had passed, or even if time passed normally when he was in this… _place_. It had been a while, though, before the otherworldly being finally declared that he was ready.

"At last… the time is now. You have mastered numerous skills and now house the spirit of the _true_ hero. Although I accepted life as the hero, I could not convey the lessons of that life to those who came after. At last, I have eased my regrets."

Link furrowed his brow, but didn't waste a second in putting in his two cents before he could be cut off, "So, you _are_ the Hero of Time, then?"

The skeleton seemed hesitant, and avoided the question, "You, who have marched through countless foes, each mightier than the last… You, who now gaze to the future with vision unclouded… Surely you can restore Hyrule to its stature of yore as the chosen land of the gods."

Link stood his ground, "Answer my question. Are you the Hero of Time?"

The spirit was silent.

"How else could you have '_accepted life as the hero_' if you aren't the Hero of Time? And how else could we share the same bloodline, as you mentioned before? You must be… Why have you tried to conceal your identity from me?"

"I cannot reveal myself to you… yet. The Goddesses would disapprove. Think what you will, but it is imperative that your mind stay clear and unfazed from unnecessary distractions in Hyrule's darkest hour."

Link smirked, "I _know_ you're the Hero of Time… I just know it. Can't you just answer my questions? I just… I guess I just want to know if you think I even have a chance against Ganon," he scoffed, "Can someone like me really face… someone like him?"

The hero couldn't read the skeleton's emotions, and so he did not know if his words even affected the lost soul in the slightest.

"You are endowed with the strength required of the hero," it spoke in a wise voice, "Do you not feel the courage granted by this strength as it guides you step by step toward your enemy? Believe in your strength. Continue to push forward unflinchingly, and without straying from your path."

Link didn't seem satisfied with that response, his gaze dropping to that of his boots on the misty ground beneath him before saying, "That's… not very reassuring. Just because some call me 'hero' doesn't mean I have what it takes to take down this-this… I don't know, eternal _evil_ that has plagued Hyrule for centuries. If so many before me have tried and failed, what separates me from them? What gives me any better a chance to defeat him?"

The spirit's glare did not falter, but there was bitter quiet for several minutes before a reply was uttered.

"If you go into that battle with even the slightest bit of uncertainty, you will fail. The strength of a hero waxes and wanes depending upon the strength he sees within himself. If he views himself as weak, he will be feeble. If he views himself as strong, he will be powerful. The old saying, 'mind over matter,' has lasted throughout decades and eons because its words ring true. What your brain tells your body is what will be. If you tell yourself that you _cannot_ succeed, you will fail. If you tell yourself you _can_ succeed, you will triumph," he paused briefly, "You _must_ trust in your strength and your abilities to overcome and succeed. You _must_ trust in yourself with every fiber of your being. Even the faintest glimmer of doubt can overshadow hope."

Link was utterly silent, his voice entirely lost to him. He stared, unwaveringly, at the hollow skeleton as the masterfully strung words seeped into his soul. As his mind was mulling it over, the spirit added one final statement.

"Do not allow the king of evil to win before the battle has even begun."

Seemingly by magic, the hero's confidence was restored. This spirit was right, and even though Renado had spoken similar words only moments prior to this encounter, hearing them fleshed out and from the mouth of whom he still assumed was the legendary Hero of Time made them that much more powerful to him. The old hero had gone through what Link was going through; he knew exactly how he was feeling and knew exactly what to say to give him courage, and he had done just that.

Link smiled a sincere smile before saying, "Thank you."

Just as the world around them began fading, Link realized that, even though he had given him newfound hope, he still had yet to answer so many of his questions.

"Wait! I still have so much to ask you!" he shouted.

Before he could get another word out, he heard an echo of a reply just before everything was blindingly white, "We will meet again, hero. Farewell! Go, and do not falter, my child!"

And with that, the shade of the hero was gone, and all Link could see was a world completely whited out.

He was quickly made aware of a nagging in his ears and a pounding in his head. His eyes started flickering open and he could hear a familiar voice at his side.

"For Din's sake, Link! I thought you were dead!"

He reached a hand up to his throbbing head as he sat up and looked at his frantic partner without saying a word. He could see the worry plastered plainly across her face and there was a wetness at the base of her lashes.

"Midna, I'm fine," he tried, "You should have remembered that this has happened to me bef-"

"Really?" she huffed, "You're gonna try to blame _me_ for getting upset because I _should _have remembered that you like to just randomly pass out for no reason? Oh, well excuse me for being worried. I guess I also '_should have remembered_' that I don't care anymore!"

As she began to make for a hasty exit, Link grabbed her wrist and held her back.

"Stop it!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, the tears now free flowing, "Let me go!"

"Why are you crying?" he asked in a calm voice, hoping beyond hope that him being calm would rub off onto his comrade.

"Why am I crying?" she yelled, turning to face him full on as she wiped her face dry, "Goddesses, you always have been too thick to understand anything. I'm crying because I'm… I'm so Goddess-damned mad at you, Link! You're so stupid! And you know what… you're selfish! First thing you say when you wake up and see me here is, '_I'm fine_.' Well, great! What about me, Link? Did you stop to wonder if I'm fine? We haven't been separated this long since we met, and you just carried on like it didn't affect you, but it's been eating me up inside not being able to talk to you," she was hysterical by this point, "And yesterday you-you… you kissed that… that _stupid _girl! You kissed her right in front of me you inconsiderate jerk! How do you think that made me feel? It felt like a knife, Link. Like the damn knife that was sticking out of you just the other day. I would rather you had just let Zant stab me instead of allowing me to see what I saw yesterday."

He had had enough.

"Do you hear how selfish _you_ sound?" he cut in before she could utter another word, his voice raised to the point of yelling, "How was I supposed to know you would be so upset by what happened yesterday? I'm not a mind reader, Midna! For Din's sake!" he got to his feet as he began pacing, "And how dare you say you would have rather I let him stab you. You have no idea what it means to sacrifice anything, do you? I constantly put myself in danger to protect everyone, to protect you, and it's not for any recognition or any reward, I just do it! I do it because I care about you and would never want to see you hurt like I've hurt! How was I supposed to know Ilia was going to kiss me? Or even that our kiss would hurt you so much? How was I supposed to know, Midna?"

He paused, giving her the opportunity to fill in the blanks, but she said nothing.

"Exactly. You've never said anything about feeling jealous, or feeling anything more than friendship between us. So don't you even try to blame me for that. Maybe, instead of worrying constantly about your own feelings, you could've asked me if there were even any feelings behind that kiss before blowing up at me over it."

Midna scoffed, "Please, Link. I'm not an idiot. I know you better than any of them and better than you know yourself. I've seen every expression you've ever made, every emotion you've ever felt displayed on your face. I can read you like a book, Link, and I could see clearly that you enjoyed that kiss," a tear slid down her cheek that she instantly wiped away, her voice now calm again as she continued, "I'm not mad at you for loving her… I didn't mean to sound so selfish. If you love her and are happy with her, then I'm glad, because I want you to be happy."

"Midna-"

"I just wish I didn't have to witness it is all, I guess. I wish someone would've told me that I was just being foolish in thinking that there would ever be anything more," she gave a dry laugh, "I mean, I'm not even from this world, why would I think there could ever be anything between us."

"Midna, plea-"

"It's fine, Link. I'll be gone forever when this is all over and I won't get in the way of you and her. I'll leave and make sure I can never come back. You two can live your lives happily without me in the way."

"What?" his voice was low and intimidating, his brow furrowed deeply.

She looked up at him, realizing what she had said and regretting it immediately - so she played dumb. "What?"

"You know '_what_.' Why would you say something like that? Why would you even joke about leaving?"

"Link, I-I," she stuttered, instantly wishing she could take it back. It was something she never intended to tell him – she knew it would only cloud his mind and get in the way of him completing his journey.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying desperately to conceal his rapidly increasing anger, "I don't even know what to say. You sit here, making me feel guilty about supposedly leading you blindly toward something that could never be, and yet, you were the one that was doing the leading on."

She opened her mouth to say something, but he continued abruptly.

"You've led me to believe that you would be by my side through it all – never once did you hint at leaving. You've been with me from the very beginning. You've been the only one I could truly talk to, the only one I could really confide in and relate to," his tone quickly escalated, "You've been the one talking of some unrealistic everlasting friendship and some ridiculous fairytale story of peace in the world once this is all done, but for what! Why in the hell would I want to keep living after fighting so long only to be left with no one that understands anything I went through in the end! I love those kids, and I love my family back in the village, but they have no idea the things I've done, the things I've seen. I don't think I'll ever be able to live like I used to, but the idea of at least having you within reach always gave me hope."

She could spot the tears in his eyes from her distance, and just as tears of her own began to slide from her lashes, she desperately cried, "Link… please, let me explain-"

"No, Midna. I… I can't even look at you right now. I want to hold you and tell you that that kiss yesterday hardly meant anything, and that since then I've only been able to think of you, but… then you go and tell me you've been planning on leaving without any way of returning? I can't even – I don't even know what to say to you. I've never felt so betrayed by anyone in my life."

"Link," she sobbed, reaching out and grabbing his wrist as she pleaded, "Please… I can't take any more of us fighting. I can't stand it when we aren't talking. I know you feel the same…"

He turned to her, his eyes damp but he was still suppressing the tears from falling, and a look of disappointment was all Midna could make out on his face, "I have a job to do. As you know, it's kind of important. I've pictured you at my side for the last leg of this fight for the past year, but if we can't get past this then I will go it alone."

Midna looked heartbroken, "We're both upset… But you need me, and I need you. Can't we just talk about this and focus on what we have to do?"

Link let out a heavy sigh, "I've done enough talking. If I keep on, I'll probably say something I'll regret later. I need to focus on getting better and then taking down Ganondorf. I was feeling pretty good about it after – what did you call it? – that's right, '_randomly passing out for no reason_.' I think I met with the spirit of the Hero of Time, and he gave me some nice words of wisdom and had me feeling pretty optimistic about my upcoming battle to decide Hyrule's destiny. But now, after this conversation, you've got me feeling like the whole thing's pretty pointless."

She was speechless for a moment; she had never heard her hero sound so bitter and hostile.

"Come on," she tried, "I know you don't really feel that way about it."

"In my right mind, probably not. But right now I'm so angry I can't think straight," he responded bluntly as he began making his way out of the graveyard.

Midna hovered quickly in front of him, halting his exit as she said, "I get it, okay? When I was mad I just ran away – I just needed my space and I wanted to get away. So… I'll let you have some space for a little while, but just, please… don't forget I'm always right here, okay? When you're ready to talk… I'll be right in your shadow… okay?"

Seeming to have forgotten his previous declaration of not saying anything more, he did just that, "Do you remember all the times I've asked if you'd stay with me after this was all finally done? Like, when we were in the prison in the desert, for example? After I had nearly drowned in quicksand and you pulled me to safety, I asked if you would be here at the end of it all, and you said yes. Just tell me this… Have you known all along that you were planning on leaving at the end, and just chose to lie to me this whole time? Or was this some new revelation?" he gave a dark, sardonic chuckle, "Surely the truth can't hurt me now."

Midna averted his piercing gaze, glancing around at their surroundings in hopes that what she should say next would be written in the dirt. She thought quickly, and her decision was one she was sure she would come to regret, but it had to be done.

"I'm not really planning on leaving, Link," she stammered, "I was just mad at you because of the whole Ilia thing and I said some stupid stuff… I'm sorry for hurting you with what I said; I didn't mean it."

The imp could see in her partner's eyes that he was desperately trying to search out the truth in her dark irises. He narrowed his eyes, debating within himself if he believed her or not.

"You aren't really leaving," he clarified.

She shook her head, "No, I'm not really leaving."

They were silent for quite some time still, both of them battling their own inner turmoil.

After what felt like an eternity, the corners of Link's mouth perked up just a hair, "I should probably be angry at the fact that you lied about leaving just to get a rise out of me, but I'm just happy to hear that you aren't actually leaving."

Midna's stomach flip-flopped – was this a lie she could really keep up? It already felt like a stab in the heart.

She gave an apprehensive nod, "Just be happy, okay? I'm so done fighting with you; I can't stand it. I hate being mad at you and I hate having you mad at me. Are you still mad at me?"

He deterred the question, "Are _you_ still mad at _me_?"

She pondered it for a moment, "Mad? I guess not. I'm just hurt, I guess."

He sighed, "I get it, but you have to talk to me, Midna. I've said it before and I'll likely say it again: I can't read your mind."

She definitely knew that was true.

"I had no idea you felt that way," he went on, "I still don't really know what it is you're feeling. I don't even know what I'm feeling. You have to talk to me."

She huffed, knowing she just needed to give in – after all, telling him the truth in this instance would at least slightly clear her conscious about lying to him on other matters, "I just felt really jealous when I saw you two kissing, okay? I wanted to fly across the room and smack her in the face."

Link couldn't help but chuckle.

"What?"

"Just picturing it."

"You don't have to just picture it; I'll enact it for you."

"No, no, no," he laughed again, "It's funny to imagine, but I would never want to see two of the most important people in my life fight."

Midna frowned, "So she _is_ important to you."

"Of course she is. But so are you."

"Ugh. That sounds so… like a way of avoiding the real question."

"What's the real question, Midna?" he teased.

"You know what the real question is! Do you love her?" she yelped, folding her arms over her chest as she awaited what she was sure was going to be a painful answer.

He glanced away from her, then back before saying honestly, "I don't know."

She gave him a look.

"Okay, I mean, I do," he amended his previous statement quickly before adding, "Of course I love her, I grew up with her, but I don't know if I love her the way she loves me. I think she sees her future with me… she sees the rest of her life at my side living peacefully in Ordon… but I can't picture that anymore. There's no way I could go back to a life like that. I can't even think of settling down in one place and planting roots," he shook his head, "Sounds so… constricting."

"So…?" she urged.

"I love her, Midna, I do, but I don't see it the way she sees it. I love you, too, but I don't know if I see _that_ the way you see it, either. I literally have no idea where you stand on that subject," he chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his neck as he did so.

Midna's cheeks instantly flushed a deep red color. She quickly raised her hands to cover the sudden warmth and she turned away from him, unsure for a split second what to say. Taking a moment to compose herself, she whirled back around.

"I love you, you stupid, crazy wolf. I've never cared about anyone else the way I care about you. But I'm done putting my feelings first. It doesn't matter what we feel or don't feel; we've got so much more important things to deal with. Ganondorf won't wait around for us to figure out how we feel about each other. Like you said earlier: we need to focus on getting you better and then taking down that tyrant."

Link smiled, "That's something I've always loved about you; you put your duty above all else. Even though, in the beginning, putting your duty first meant being completely cold and heartless towards me, but it's alright. You needed those Fused Shadows at the time, and you did what you had to do to get them."

"Ugh," she sighed, "Horrible example, Link. I didn't have to be so ruthless to you to get what I needed."

He shrugged it off, "It's in the past. And honestly, I think starting off on the wrong foot is what's made us so close today. We've seen and dealt with each other at our absolute worst and we're both still here."

Midna giggled, "And _that's_ something I've always loved about you; you view everything as a learning experience or an opportunity for something to get better. '_Oh, hey_!'" she began in a mocking voice, "'_I just got shot with an arrow! That's fine – at least now I'll know how to deal with this in the future_!'"

Link let out a genuine, hearty laughter that sounded like music to Midna's ears before gasping out, "I don't really sound like that, do I?"

The imp couldn't help but join in the fits of hysterics, "Yeah, you do!"

They shared in a much-needed laughter that did wonders for both of their spirits for quite a while after that. Midna made a few more jokes about her hero and he didn't hesitate to do the same to her. After laughing so hard for so long that their sides were hurting, they both felt significantly better.

Link sighed contentedly, "You always know how to make me feel better."

"Same to you," she smiled, "But hey, I've been wondering something."

"What?"

"You mentioned earlier when we were fighting that you were passed out here because you met with the spirit of the Hero of Time, was that true?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty positive it was the Hero of Time."

"What was the good advice he gave you?"

"He told me I couldn't doubt in myself, that without confidence in my abilities I would fail."

Midna's eyes went a bit wide, "Geez, did he put it so bluntly?"

Link chuckled, "Yeah, he did, but he needed to. I needed to hear those words; I needed to be told that I could be my own undoing in doubting in myself. The last thing he said was to not let Ganon win before the battle even started. Those words really kind of drove it home for me, I guess you could say."

"Well… do you feel better about it after talking to him? I mean, do you feel ready?"

Link nodded, taking a moment to think on it before saying, "Yeah… I do. I feel more ready than I ever have to finish this. And after hearing you say that you aren't leaving…" he paused and smiled, "I feel _that_ much better."

Midna's heart sank into her stomach, "I'm glad," she mustered.

She never imagined that seeing a smile on his face would feel so similar to a punch in the gut. She had lied to him. She would continue to lie to him. What would he do when he would inevitably find out she had been lying when she was to take her leave in the imminent future? What would he do if he was to find out she was lying before said event could transpire? He would likely fall apart at the seams, much like she had begun to witness when he knew it as truth just earlier. He wouldn't be able to carry out what had to be done… He wouldn't be able to fulfill his destiny and save Hyrule…

It would be the end of him…

It was a good thing that she was an excellent liar, she supposed.

* * *

_**Sometimes, in trying to make things better, we only make them worse.**_

* * *

**A/N: **So, most of the reviews I received on the last chapter were about shipping this person or that person and either being angry with what's happened in the romance aspect or being ecstatic. I want to tell you all now to please, please, please, not be so focused on a certain shipping/romance in this story. Honestly, romance is one of the least focused on genres here, so please don't get all caught up in worrying about whether or not Link is going to end up with your favorite girl or not. As Link said in this chapter: Let's just focus on getting him better and taking down Ganondorf! Deal? Deal :)

With that out of the way... How did you guys like this chapter? I don't know about you, but I really enjoyed writing it so I hope you all really enjoyed reading it! Make sure to let me know what you thought because your guys' thoughts and reviews are the fuel for this story! Love you all! 'Til next time!


	55. See You Later

**A/N: **A faster than usual update should make for some happy readers! Right? I hope so! This chapter was literally completed almost entirely in one night. I had most of the intro already written, and then I sat down just to write a little bit more and ended up going and going until it was done! It just flowed so naturally and perfectly that I couldn't stop (I literally stayed up all night! It's now almost 7:00 in the morning and I have not slept!)  
Anyway, something I wanted to mention... On the chapter before last, I was really surprised to see that only one reviewer noticed that Colin was able to lift the Master Sword when I've written it so that only Link can lift it. Ashei and Shad both tried earlier and failed, and yet Colin was able to. I definitely thought more of you would notice, but props to the one person who did! It's brought up in this chapter, but it will be explained at a later time...  
Now go read and enjoy! :D

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 55: See You Later

**.:.**

With the excitement of the recent events having died down a bit, Link was finally given the rest and recuperation he needed – and so deserved.

He slept through the majority of the next few days, mostly due to being completely physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted, but also because Renado continuously forced the young man to down the vile sleep inducing potion in order to ensure that he got the rest he needed to properly heal; the shaman knew _exactly_ where Link was heading to next, and there was no way on Farore's green earth that he was going to let the hero leave even a hair's breadth shy of perfect health.

His dreams were unpleasant, as he had become accustomed to them being, and Renado was concerned to see the young man often tossing and turning in his sleep. The shaman knew there was nothing he could do about his nightmares, unfortunate as it was, but at least he was getting some rest – be it serene or otherwise.

Immediately after the surprise attack on the village a few days prior, Link's wound had reached a stalemate in its healing process. The strike he had sustained from the Bulblin had hit nearly square on his already prominent injury, causing a massive, purple bruise to form around and beneath his stab wound. With an extra dose of medicine that night as well as some remedial herbs held directly in the open flesh for an extended time, it had resumed its previous speed of healing, and he was once again on the mend.

Those short few days passed quickly for the hero, as he was unconscious almost throughout all of them. He awoke only when it was completely necessary, such as for a quick bite to eat or a drink of water.

He would have grown restless, had he been awake, so the children grew restless for him. They were cooped up now permanently within the inn – as per the healer and resident guardian's orders; even though the Gorons stood constant watch, Renado simply would not take the risk of anything happening to them. The kids often pestered the shaman to let them see their big brother, but Renado knew that they would only wake him up and stint his healing process, so he declined every time the question arose.

One early afternoon, however, Renado was busy helping Ilia and his daughter clean up the kitchen and dining room after their late breakfast, giving the children the perfect opportunity to sneak into the hero's room unnoticed.

Upstairs, Link was deep in sleep. He did not hear the handle slowly turning or the door quietly creaking open; not even the whispers of his name or the pitter patter of little feet on the wooden floor approaching his bed reached his long ears.

"Link?"

He could hear the voice… But was it real or in his dream?

He moaned and rolled onto his back, the kids noticing that he was mumbling something incoherent all the while.

Beneath his closed lids, he could see dark storm clouds covering the whole of Hyrule in a thick, suffocating blanket. The castle was no longer the bright beacon of hope and purity that it had always been. It was, instead, a black, malevolent tower proclaiming nothing short of sheer wickedness. Every tree or shrub for as far as he could see was bare and lifeless, having borne not a single bloom or solitary leaf in what seemed like centuries. The once beautiful and ever glistening Lake Hylia was completely dried up – even more so than he had witnessed on his journey – the once-muddy lakebed was now dried and cracked for going what seemed like years without seeing an ounce of moisture. The wind, though… the wind was bitter, angry, even painful. It was as if the wind was a malicious entity all on its own.

There was not a living soul in sight, but as his dream progressed, he saw him… Ganondorf. His evil face was glowering down at him, a menacing smile placed peculiarly on his lips. Link was lying on the ground, an all too familiar warmth drenching his entire body. He was covered in blood; he had failed and he was dying. That was why Ganondorf was grinning like a madman.

Link tried to get up, but some inexplicable force held him down. The king of evil opened his mouth to spew some sinister words of intimidation, but Link couldn't make them out. Behind Ganon's head he could see the storm clouds opening up and thick torrents of rain suddenly began to pour upon them. Link closed his eyes as the wetness mixed with his own blood and stung his eyes, and he was surprised that he did not feel fear or regret. He almost felt… calm and accepting of what he knew was coming. When he reopened his eyes, he was able to just make out the Gerudo's sword plunging down into his stomach before he suddenly jolted up in bed.

"Whoa!" a little boy's voice could be heard exclaiming in shock beside him.

Link's throat was stinging something awful as he was starting to come back to consciousness, revealing that he had likely screamed when he awoke. He had also tried to involuntarily sit up when his body snapped awake, but his middle yelled at him to lie back down. He relaxed back down to his back as he tried to ease his tense muscles and tell himself that it was all just a dream. He rubbed his eyes, trying to get that image of Ganondorf sneering at him out of his mind's eye.

"Link?" a little girl's voice was then heard timidly calling at his side, and he was reminded once again that he had company.

He opened his eyes and blinked the grogginess away a few times. He looked up to see that Beth and Talo stood to his left, shocked and saddened expressions on their adolescent faces.

"Are you okay?" Beth asked, a concerned look in her turquoise eyes, "You were having a scary dream…"

"Yeah, you… You screamed something about a… a cannon? Er… Ganon? What's a '_Ganon_?'" Talo added, an almost frightened sound in his usually hyper tone.

Link cleared his throat before feigning a smile for their sake, "It's nothing you need to worry about."

"But… you seemed kinda scared, and you never get scared," Talo mumbled.

"It was just a nightmare, nothing more. So don't worry about it, okay?"

They were silent, so Link pressed, "Okay?"

Neither one seemed sure, but they reluctantly nodded and agreed nonetheless.

After a moment, Link realized something, "Where's Colin? He's almost always with you two nowadays."

"That's actually why we snuck in here," Talo admitted.

"Yeah, Colin hasn't been doing so good," Beth said.

Link furrowed his brow, automatically thinking the worst, "What's wrong?"

"Ever since the other day when he killed that ugly monster thing, he's been…" Beth paused, searching for the appropriate adjective.

"Sad and weird and won't talk to anyone," Talo finished for her, "He's got Mister Renado all worried, too."

"Yeah," Beth chimed in, "We knew he would talk to you, Link, but Mister Renado said we couldn't wake you up…"

"Yeah, so we're probably gonna get in _big_ trouble," Talo added dejectedly.

Link sat up with a slight wince; despite having mostly healed, there was still a dull pain associated with any movement that involved his abdomen, which was almost any kind of movement at all. He reached for his off-white undershirt and threw it on as he tossed his legs over the side of the bed.

The children couldn't help but eyeball his bandages around his stomach before they were concealed by his shirt.

"Does it still hurt?" Talo asked, genuinely troubled.

Link gave him a crooked smile as he ruffled the boy's hair, "Nah," he answered as he got to his feet.

Talo grinned widely up at his hero, "Good! 'Cause it's been so sad and boring with both you _and_ Colin in bed all the time!"

Beth squealed, "I'm just so happy that you're okay and can get up again!"

Link smiled, honestly so glad that he had these children in his life to keep him sane. He knew it was vital that he keep their spirits up, and so he quickly thought of something.

The big brother knelt down to the kids' level with a finger pressed against his lips as he whispered, "Shh… We're going to go see Colin, but we can't let Mister Renado see or hear us, or else we'll all be in big, big trouble!"

Talo gasped, immediately recognizing that Link was trying to make a game of it, "Is the ground lava? Is Mister Renado actually a huge, scary dragon? Is Colin the princess we have to save? Where's my horse and my pointy sword? I can't just be a hero without any preparations!"

Link couldn't help but laugh at how serious this was to them, but he quickly pushed aside the humor and tried to take it just as serious, "How about… The downstairs is all lava, Mister Renado is a nice dragon but if he sees us he'll make us stay for dinner and dragons eat gross stuff."

"Like what! Like what!"

"Worms and bugs and lots of other yucky stuff, and-"

"I thought dragons ate people and animals and burned down villages?" Talo wondered.

"Not the nice ones, stupid!" Beth yelped.

"Well, excuuuuse me-"

Link hastily cut the argument short, "Yes, Mister Renado is a nice dragon so he won't hurt us but we still don't want him to see us. And um, Colin is definitely not a _princess_ but we still need to save him-"

"Pfft! Only princesses need saving!" Talo proclaimed, folding his arms over his chest in pride of his own gender.

Beth smacked the back of his head, "Boys need saving sometimes, too! You big, fat, stupid-"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Link called, drawing back their attention, "Remember, we're on a mission! We have to focus so we can save _Prince_ Colin!"

"What about my horse and my pointy sword?" Talo asked seriously.

"Horses can't go across lava, Talo," Beth said.

"And we don't need pointy swords against nice dragons, right?" Link added.

Talo groaned, "But what's the fun if we aren't fighting bad guys?"

Link frowned, sincerely dismayed with how much their young lives had been so heavily influenced by recent violence.

"We're saving someone, that's fun isn't it?"

Talo didn't seem convinced.

Link elaborated, "We're saving someone that can't save themselves. Sometimes, people become weak and they need their friends and loved ones to save them so that they can find peace and happiness again. We're the only ones that can do that for Colin. What do you say?"

"Colin _has_ been really sad…" Talo stated, hanging his head as he went on, "When my friends and family are sad it makes me sad."

"So, won't it be fun to make him happy again? Even if we aren't killing huge, scary dragons?" Link asked with a smile.

Talo suddenly nodded, that mischievous and spunky look back in his eyes, "YEAH! But, remember! Mister Renado is a nice dragon and we don't want him to see us 'cause he'll make us stay for dinner and we'll have to eat yucky stuff like bugs! We have to be super quiet and super quick! Got it?"

"Got it!" Beth and Link agreed in unison, following Talo's lead as he opened the door and motioned for them to wait.

He crawled forward on all fours and peered through the banisters to the downstairs area to check if it was clear. He could see Renado and Ilia at the sink while Luda swept up the floor right behind them.

"There's lots of lava down there, guys," Talo whispered in a deep, serious tone, "And I see _three_ nice dragons! I can smell the nasty bug stew they're making from here! We need to move!"

The brunet boy motioned for Beth and Link to follow and they did just that, crawling on the ground just as the former had. They went noiselessly down the hallway, Talo stopping briefly every few seconds to check and make sure that the 'nice dragons' weren't looking their way.

When they passed by the room right before Link's, Malo poked his head out and said, "What in the world are you guys doing crawling on the floor like a bunch of monkeys?"

"SHH!" Talo hushed, "We're going to save Colin but we can't let them see us down there because they're dragons and they'll make us eat bugs and stuff!"

"Duh, Malo!" Beth barked.

Malo rolled his eyes, mostly angry that he was forced to stay indoors and unable to work his shop. He muttered something negative that none of them could make out before closing the door and pretending they were never there.

They eventually made their way crawling to the opposite end of the hall, to the first room at the top of the stairs that Renado usually kept empty for when guests came.

"Why is Colin in this room?" Link asked quietly.

Talo turned back to him and whispered, "I told you Colin hasn't been hanging out with us at all. He's just been cooped up in here the last few days. He won't even play our favorite 'Link versus the troll' game with us in our room before bedtime anymore."

Beth nodded to signify that he was being truthful.

Link furrowed his brow in confusion; it simply wasn't like his little brother to purposely detach himself and wish to be left alone. All his young life he had wanted nothing more than the acceptance and friendship of the other village kids. He had finally obtained that after the incident with Beth and King Bulblin, and ever since then the children had been inseparable – he must really be upset to not even want to play anymore.

Talo stood and opened the door, signaling to the other two that it was safe. Link got to his feet with a bit of a stumble, but he hid it well. As soon as the prone form of the small boy on the bed was in his sight he no longer was thinking of the game he was playing with the other two, and when he started speaking, truthfully, neither were they.

"Colin?" Link called, having made his way across the room.

The blond boy opened his eyes as his big brother sat on the bed beside him. Colin was lying on his belly, seemingly having been in a hypnopompic state. Link placed his hand gently on the boy's back, coaxing him softly to alertness.

When he saw Colin's eyes open and focus on his, he said, "Colin… The others tell me you haven't been playing with them and you won't talk to anyone. Will you talk to me?"

He was still.

Link sighed, not even noticing that Beth and Talo were now standing at the base of the bed, and no one at all noticing that Ilia was standing silently in the doorway.

"I know what's wrong… You're upset about what happened the other day when you killed the Bulblin, aren't you?"

He didn't say anything, but his eyes did all the answering that was necessary.

"I understand, believe me, I do. It's not an easy thing to take a life, even if it is just that of a monster. I don't want you to feel bad though, okay? That was a bad guy, and you saved us all with what you did."

Colin sat up slowly, facing his hero straight on as he rubbed his eyes and thought for a moment before saying, "I… Every time I close my eyes, I see that… thing dying right in front of me. I… I see it all bloody and spitting and," he shuddered, "It freaks me out – I hate it! I just want that picture to go away! It's almost like it's… a movie that my brain won't stop replaying… Does that make any sense, Link?"

The young boy looked up at him with bloodshot eyes and a downright disturbing look on his face. The look was disturbing to Link because it was an expression of despair, terror, and downright anguish; a combination that he never thought he would ever have to experience seeing on his innocent brother.

"It makes perfect sense to me, Colin, because I have 'movies that my brain won't stop replaying' all the time. I see all kinds of scary things when I close my eyes or go to sleep; it most times even makes its way into my dreams. But you know what always helps me?"

Colin looked up at him intrigued.

"Being around my friends and family – being around you. You all lift my spirits and make my mind forget about all that scary stuff, even if only for a little bit."

The timid lad looked down at his hands in his lap, seemingly contemplating it, before returning his gaze to Link. He almost whispered, "You think… the scary pictures will go away if I play with my friends?"

He nodded with a smile, "I _know_ they will. Being with people you love… it takes your mind off of the bad stuff and lets you focus on the happy things."

The room was quiet, and Link watched as Colin appeared to be seriously considering it. He just needed one last push.

"It doesn't do any good for you to coop yourself up in here and be all alone. So, promise me you're going to get out of bed and go play with Talo and Beth. They've really missed having you play with them."

Colin seemed shocked. He turned to them, "Really?"

Beth nodded, "Yeah! Malo never wants to play 'cause he's just a stick in the mud! And Talo's not as much fun 'cause he's so darn bossy!"

"HEY! I'm _right_ here, ya know!"

Colin laughed, "Okay… I will go play! I'll admit that even though I've been kind of sad, I have really missed playing with you guys."

"FINALLY! Let's go already!" Talo shouted impatiently.

As they were about to turn around and leave, however, Link stopped them.

"Wait, Colin. I wanted to ask you something."

"What is it, Link?"

The hero paused, debating how he would word his question, "The other day when you did what you did and saved my life… You used my sword."

Colin nodded nervously, thinking at first that he was going to be scolded for using the hero's mystical blade.

Link could read that exact feeling on his face, "You aren't in trouble, I just… Well, uh…" he paused; he had no idea how to go about asking without having to go into a long explanation. He decided to just spit it out and hope that none of them asked too many questions, "No one but me has been able to pick it up. Was it… heavy? Or hard to hold?"

"It was super heavy! But… I picked it up okay, didn't I? Why can't anyone but you pick it up?"

"It's kind of like… the Triforce on my hand – it just means that the Goddesses like me. That sword is from the Goddesses, too, so only I can wield it. I was just surprised that you could pick it up is all."

He got that look of anxiety again, "Was I not supposed to? I'm sorry, Link, I was just-"

"No, Colin, you did the right thing. I was just curious. Don't worry about it," he smiled, "Go on and go play."

Colin nodded and gave him a wide grin of his own before scrambling happily off the bed towards the other kids.

"Let's go!" Beth yelled, and when they turned to leave they practically plowed into Ilia in the doorway.

"Whoa! Sorry!" Talo shrieked, the three of them quickly darting around her to get out.

She giggled as they fled into the hallway and down the stairs before she turned to look at Link who was now approaching her.

"How long have you been there?" he asked as he stopped before her.

"Long enough," she answered in a bit of a teasing manner.

Link shrugged it off and was about to walk past her to go back to his room as he had found that he had grown quite tired again and his middle was beginning to ache something fierce until she halted him in his tracks, placing a dainty hand on his chest to stop him.

"You really are amazing with those kids; they really look up to you and love you very much."

He gave a weak, forced smile and nodded, trying again to pass her but she then stepped in front of him, almost entirely closing the gap between them.

"You'll make a great father someday, Link. Have you… ever thought about that… with me?"

Link was frozen, and he was almost positive that his heart had reacted just the same as he knew his lungs had. When her gaze did not falter, he found himself completely livid that she would even bring up such a thing right now.

He didn't say anything as he moved her aside and pushed out into the hallway. He could hear her scoff and follow him, and her words stopped him abruptly before he could enter his chambers.

"Why are you so heartless to me, Link? I was just asking a simple question. I don't understand why that would upset you-"

He whirled around on his heel, an inexplicable anger boiling over and erupting suddenly that he had never before felt towards this girl. The horrible timing of her question had upset him, sure, but normally it would not affect him to this extent. Now, though, he felt as if he could just explode with rage towards her. Rage for her being completely oblivious. Rage for her being completely ignorant. Rage for her being completely and utterly selfish and insensitive. He wanted to scream it all at her, but at the same time he wanted to just get away from everyone and go back to sleep.

He decided to go with the former – and he didn't hold back.

"_I'm_ heartless? Surely you must be joking. You start trying to have some… _romance_ with me and asking me about _kids_ for Din's sake? Now? _Now_ of all Goddess-damned times! Do you even have any idea what's actually going on in our world right now? Clearly you must not have any idea if you think asking me about some delusional future right now is a good idea."

She looked almost appalled as she stared him down from across the hall, and Link could just barely make out the forms of Renado and the children staring at them from the stairs, clearly having become worried when they heard screaming, but he paid them no mind.

"The world is being threatened, Ilia! Our world is being threatened by Ganondorf, maybe you've heard of him? The evil man that likes to try to destroy Hyrule over and over again and wants the Triforce for himself? This thing, right here," he lifted his left hand and pointed to the triangle on the back of it, "You can't honestly tell me you've been blind to all of this! Have you really changed that much from when we were children together? You never used to be so selfish! You have only been focusing on your own wants and desires! Meanwhile, everyone else is at least concerned with what's going on! But you! You don't even have any… any idea! Y-You… you… ugh," he came to a slow stop and lurched forward a bit as he wrapped his arm around his throbbing stomach, his heightened anger having worn him out and taken a toll on his weary body.

"Well what about you, _Mister Perfect_? Huh?" she took his moment of silence to get her words out, "You go and get yourself hurt all the time! Did you ever stop to think how that makes all of us feel when you stumble in here half dead all the time? Like right now! You got stabbed for Din's sake! How did that even happen if you weren't being completely careless, huh? It's not like that was from Ganondorf, right? So what, then? Just some mindless creature did that to you and you think you can defeat Ganondorf? You can't honestly think getting yourself killed is going to help Hyrule at all!" Ilia spat viciously.

Link noticed Renado trying to make his way to him from behind Ilia, but he raised his hand to him to signal that he was fine as the pain subsided and he stood upright again.

"It's up to me to end him, do you get that?" he spoke up again, now sounding a bit quiet and frail, Ilia's words having hurt him more than she would probably ever know, "Everything I've been doing for the past year has been leading up to this. This," he motioned to the wound in his abdomen, "was from… a puppet of Ganondorf's. Basically right beneath him in terms of power and one of the main reasons our world is in danger. So no, Ilia, it wasn't just some '_mindless creature_' and I wasn't being '_completely careless_.' You have no idea the demons I've fought and the beasts I've defeated. I don't care if you don't think I can face down Ganondorf… because I know I can."

The entire inn was silent, and he could see in Ilia's now-watery eyes that she was beginning to realize what she had said and was already regretting it.

He decided to continue before she could muster a single word, "I'm honestly completely shocked and hurt that you would say what you said to me just now, and I… I don't know. I just… I just want to go back to bed and I'll be gone before you even wake up."

He turned to head into his room, but her pained voice stilled him in his tracks.

"Link!" she yelled, her voice quivering through uncontrollable tears, "I'm sorry for what I said! It was cruel and awful, okay! But you were yelling at me for not being understanding of what you're going through and yet… you never told me about any of it! How was I supposed to know? No one ever told me the extent of what's going on!" she turned to look at everyone in turn, mainly Link and Renado before focusing back on Link, "I don't know why in all of Hyrule everyone would choose to keep me out of the loop, but I had no idea, Link! I just saw you come back hurt all the time, and all anyone would tell me was that you were fighting for our kingdom. What does that tell me? I didn't know, Link," she went on, her tone lowering to a whimper, "How can you blame me for not being a mind reader?"

Link almost scoffed aloud at the irony of this argument; surely Midna was getting a kick out of it in his shadow. He had been the one telling his partner that very same thing just the other day, and now he was hearing it from Ilia.

Maybe he _had_ overreacted…

He sighed, "I want to say I'm sorry, too, Ilia, but… I just can't right now. I can't get your words out of my head and I need to go back to sleep before I pass out right here and Renado has to lift me up for the, like, hundredth time. Good night," he finished bitterly with a sarcastic wave as he turned the doorknob and crossed the threshold into his room, closing the door behind him.

Ilia called his name and tried to dart after him, but the shaman grabbed her wrist and held her back, whispering, "Let him rest. He has a lot on his mind right now."

Link fell asleep instantly without any difficulty in doing so whatsoever. His shadow had probably tried to talk to him and question his outburst, but he was in no frame of mind for talking. He let sleep take him the remainder of the day into the night, and was woken up the next morning by the healer removing his bandages.

"Ah… I had hoped I wouldn't wake you, but it seems you no longer need to wear these," he greeted soothingly, taking the bindings and tossing them into a nearby waste bin.

Link rubbed his eyes as he fully awoke and glanced about the room, finding no one else with them and the door shut – clearly Renado wanted to have a talk with him.

"Do you think I overreacted with Ilia yesterday?" he asked right away, not wanting to beat around the bush.

Renado thought on it a moment, "I think you are under an immense amount of pressure and it is expected of anyone to crack under such extremes."

"So, you _do_ think so," Link sighed, "I didn't mean to get so irate with her. She just… made me so angry with how she's been acting as if everything that's going on is just… nothing. She probably won't talk to me for a while."

"You two had a simple argument, a quarrel, nothing more. Everyone's tensions are high these days – every single person is on edge whether they realize it or not. We're all worried, we're all near our wit's end, some more than others."

"Meaning me."

"But you have just cause to be."

"I don't have just cause to lash out at my best friend. For Din's sake, Renado… I spent the majority of this past year wishing nothing more than to just be able to talk to her again, and now I have that privilege and I treat her like that."

"I promise you, she isn't angry at you any longer. I explained everything to her last night."

Link looked up at him with a furrowed brow, his curiosity piqued, "…Everything?"

He simply nodded, "Everything."

The hero gazed over at the window, contemplating how he felt about that. On one hand, he had just been yelling at her the day prior for being ignorant on the whole situation, but on the other hand, he wanted to keep her innocent and worry free. He didn't want her to think differently of him or to treat him differently.

"She had to be told eventually, Link," Renado spoke up, knowing exactly what he was thinking, "I think we've all kept her in the dark for far too long, and that was unfair to her. We were treating her like one of the children. She is deserving of the truth, don't you think?"

Link turned back to him and was quiet for a moment before uttering, "She asked me about kids, Renado. Kids! For Din's sake! We aren't even married, let alone in a relationship or a… geez, I don't know what we are. It's so awkward."

The shaman couldn't hold back the laughter that ensued, "She is quite fond of you."

"Maybe if she had known everything that's going on she wouldn't have said that. Ugh… I just don't even know anymore. I don't think I want that even when this is all done."

"No children? But I do think you would make an excellent father someday."

Link frowned, "I don't think I could, not after everything I've done. I can't imagine settling down, getting married, having kids… I can't picture that anymore like I used to."

"Then what do you picture?"

"I-…" he stopped, realizing that that was an excellent question that he had no answer to – he was dumbstruck, "I honestly don't know. I… I can't picture my future anymore."

Renado looked sincerely disheartened. He couldn't stand to hear Link speak so negatively about his future, but he also knew that he had given him enough pep talks already and that he was not in need of another one. Instead, he changed the subject to something a bit more positive.

"Well… Your wound is healed enough for you to travel again, if you wish to. It will still be a tad sore, but it has at least fully sealed up and should be mostly painless."

"That's great," Link smiled, "Thank you, Renado. I… I think I'm ready to go then."

By the surprised look on the shaman's face, Link could tell he hadn't been expecting that response.

"Oh?" Renado began, "So soon? I thought you would take at least one more day to be with the children before leaving, seeing as you might be gone for quite some time."

Link shook his head, "I don't want to draw out long farewells – I don't want them to think I'm planning on dying or never seeing them again. They need to be optimistic, for their own sake and mine."

"I see…" Renado stated, trying to sound optimistic as well but failing quite horribly, "Well, if I've learned anything about you this past year it's that you don't like to wait. I assume you'll be taking your leave today?"

Link flicked the blanket off of the top of him and swung his legs over the side of the bed as he said, "I'll leave now."

Renado stood from his seat and proceeded to the door so as to be out of the young man's way. Link began methodically gathering his things and strapping each effect on in its proper turn; clearly it was a routine that the hero could do in his sleep.

"Do make sure you say goodbye to Ilia, won't you? I think she wants to give you a sincere apology. She really cares a lot about you," Renado said.

"I know…" Link sighed, wishing sometimes that certain aspects of his life could simply be put on hold, "And I will."

With all of his gear in place and everything packed and ready to go, Link stood beside the bed he had come so close to dying in on so many occasions, simply staring across the room at the man that had kept him alive. He didn't know if this was the last time he was going to see him or not… How could he ever really justify his thanks?

They stood in silence for what felt like forever, before Link finally asked with a touch of humor, "How many times can I say 'thank you'?"

Renado shook his head, "There is no need, my son. You have touched my life in more ways than could ever be known to you. You have opened my eyes to what it takes to be that hero in fairytales, and you have shown me what we, as the children of the Goddesses, are truly capable of when we simply care enough to _try_. You are more remarkable than words allow me to express, but… just know that you have forever changed my life, and no doubt countless others. This is not goodbye. We will see each other again, after you defeat Ganondorf and Hyrule is at peace. Isn't that right?"

Link fought back the tears with a smile, "That's right."

Renado nodded and gave a smile in return, stepping to the side so as to grant the hero permission to leave. Link took it, the shaman clapping him on the shoulder as he passed. He followed him down the stairs where Ilia and the children were spending their early afternoon. They all looked at him a bit shocked as he rushed down the staircase in his full hero's garb.

"Link! Are you all better?" Colin asked as he ran up and wrapped his arms around him.

"Yeah, I'm all better," he replied with a smile.

"Why are you all dressed up? Are you leaving already?" Beth questioned as she and Talo approached him next.

"I am," he answered bluntly.

"Oh…" Beth mumbled, not having anticipated that reply.

"When will you be back, Link?" Talo asked.

"Um, well-" Link paused as he tried to think of an answer that would both be hopeful and truthful.

Noticing he was on the spot without a good response, Ilia stepped forward and stated with a grin, "He'll be back as soon as he's able. But, the sooner he leaves, the sooner he can come back! Right, Link?"

He looked at her a bit puzzled, but played along flawlessly as he said, "That's right."

"But… You said yesterday that you had to fight an evil man named… um," Colin tried.

"Ganondork."

"No, Talo! It's Ganondwarf! Stupid!" Beth bellowed.

"It's Ganondorf, you bunch of idiots. Haven't you ever read a single book in this kingdom?" Malo muttered under his breath, mostly everyone paying him no mind.

"Ganondorf," Link corrected, "Yes, I do… But it's going to be okay. I'll be back before you know it, and there won't be any more monsters or attacks on the village. You'll be able to go outside, and you'll be able to go back to Ordon."

The children seemed to gasp in perfect unison before leaping up and down in sheer joy.

"Really, Link! You mean I'll finally get to meet my sister?" Colin exclaimed excitedly.

Link chuckled, "Yes. Maybe not right away, but very, very soon."

"YES! I've been craving my mom's pumpkin soup SO BAD!" Talo shouted, proceeding to run around in circles with a sudden overflow of energy.

Link couldn't help but smile; he loved seeing the children acting like they used to: cheerful and completely carefree.

"But…" Beth suddenly calmed down as she realized the unhappy side of this happy news, "What about Luda and Mister Renado? Will they come, too?"

Link looked to the shaman as he couldn't answer that for him, and honestly, he didn't want to. He knew what the answer was and he didn't want to be the one to tell them as he knew very well that they had all grown to be so attached to the healer and his daughter. He had been a father to them for the past year, and she their sister. How could such a close relationship be dropped suddenly and treated as it was nothing without pain being involved? He didn't want to make them feel that – he had done it enough as it was.

Renado looked distraught to have to tell them, "I'm afraid not, my children. But do not fret – with the fields free of monsters after Link defeats this evil, we will be able to travel and visit often."

"That's not the same…" Beth mumbled sadly.

"That's in the future," Ilia suddenly interjected, "Let's not worry about parting in the days to come, let's just make sure we spend as much time together as we can until then, okay?"

They were hardly convinced, but they nodded and smiled even so.

"You should go, Link, so that you can come back sooner!" Talo declared.

"You're right, I should," he said with a chuckle, ruffling the boy's hair as he did so.

He knelt down and grabbed the brunet boy in a tight hug, "Be good for Mister Renado while I'm gone, got it?"

"Yeah, yeah," he said unenthusiastically before the hero pulled away and embraced Beth.

"Don't be too mean to the boys, alright?"

She sighed, "If you say so, Link. They're just so dumb sometimes."

He laughed, pulled away, and grabbed Colin for a hug next.

"Don't get into any trouble, you hear me? Listen to Mister Renado and just keep playing inside and being happy, okay?"

"Really? You don't want me to protect everyone while you're gone?" the blond boy asked a bit confusedly as he pulled away, thinking that he had maybe let his hero down before and so that was why he wasn't asking that of him this time.

"I just want you to be a kid forever. I want you to have fun and not worry about what's going on elsewhere. Promise me."

He seemed a bit confused, and he was apprehensive about making such a promise, but he did so nonetheless, "I promise, Link."

He gave him a nod before turning to Luda and hugging her just as he had his own.

"Thank you for being such a good friend to my family, and for putting up with Talo."

"HEY!"

She giggled as they separated, "Of course! I think he's funny."

Talo smirked, running a hand through his hair as he said smoothly, "Ohh yeah…"

Link then turned to Malo who was standing a bit farther away. He smiled at the youngest boy and motioned for him to come to him. The boy heaved a sigh but he was able to persuade him begrudgingly into embracing him just as the others had.

"Same goes for you as what I told Colin. Don't stay so isolated. Play with your brothers and sisters more, okay?"

"I'll try," he murmured as the hero pulled away and got to his feet.

When he rose, Ilia was already standing there awaiting what he had to say to her. They were silently just staring for what felt like an eternity before the young girl finally took the initiative.

"I'm sorry for what happened yesterday, Link. You know I have a temper and I just… I let my emotions take control of me sometimes. Renado told me everything, though, and I understand now. Whether there's something between us or not, now's not the time. I wish I had known before… I wouldn't have bothered you with it at all. I shouldn't have pressured you about telling me you loved me and I shouldn't have kissed you. I probably just made everything you're going through that much more difficult with trying to please me, too. I really am sorry, Link."

He shook his head, "I'm sorry, too. I should have told you. I shouldn't have just expected you to know how I was feeling. I'm just so stressed… everything kind of boiled over yesterday. You're too important to me for me to talk to you the way I did."

"I feel the same," she said honestly with an apologetic smile.

Without another word, he wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and pulled her into him for a tight hug. She closed her eyes, a couple of tears escaping her lashes as she did so. She placed her arms around his neck and just took in the embrace. His scent, his hair against her cheek, his breath against her neck… Farore, if he didn't come back to her…

He pulled away and she wiped the back of her hand across her now-runny nose. He smiled at her and ran a thumb across her cheek, whisking away the stray tears.

"Why are you so sad, Ilia?" Beth asked.

She feigned a smile, "I'm just going to miss Link, that's all."

"But he leaves all the time and you didn't cry before…" Talo pointed out.

"He _will_ be back… won't he?" Colin questioned, not at all blind to the fact that this was not the typical, run of the mill goodbye.

"Yes, of course I will," Link jumped in to cover for her, "She's just crying because she's happy that we made up after our fight yesterday."

"Yes, that's right," Ilia nodded in agreement.

With that, Link headed to the door, and before taking his leave he turned for one last look.

He knew he either would not live to see them again, or that this would simply be the last time he would have to leave them on such sad terms. The latter was what he prayed to the Goddesses for. The children seemed slightly perplexed at the unusual goodbyes, but overall they looked happy and optimistic, which was what Link needed to see. Renado and Ilia appeared to be more uneasy and anxious of the circumstances in which they would next see their hero, as they actually knew the severity of what he was going up against. They were afraid they either would not see him ever again, or that the next time they saw him he would be too near death to rescue.

He gave his loved ones one more smile and said, "I love you all. I'll be back before you can even start to miss me," he then winked and gave a smirk to try and lift their spirits before saying at last, "See you later!"

* * *

_**When saying goodbye, seeing that person again is never a guarantee.**_

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**A/N: **So, this was kind of the last 'semi-happy' chapter, even though it wasn't really all that _happy_, per se. From here on out it's going to get pretty crazy so just buckle up and get ready to ride out the climax of this amazing journey with me!

I love you all and don't forget to review!


	56. Acquiescence

**A/N: **Is this a record? I think this is a record - one week! You can expect the next few chapters to (hopefully) be just as quick (as long as those reviews keep coming in, of course)! Enjoy! :)

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 56: Acquiescence

**.:.**

"Link!" a bitter female voice suddenly hollered as he entered the bar, "About Goddess-damned time you got here!"

He headed to the back of the bar with a huff, having just pushed his way through the thick, panicked crowds of Castle Town. It was dusk and the sun was just setting behind the tall buildings of the bustling town, the people all in a flurry. Ashei, Shad, and Auru were all seated at the familiar table while Rusl stood beside it, seemingly a bit flustered himself as sweat dripped down his temple.

"What's going on out there?" Link asked worriedly, having quickly bypassed Telma and the anonymous patrons of the bar in his haste without realizing, "The townsfolk are acting frantic."

"They're overreacting," Ashei answered with a scoff when Link noticed that she was cleaning her weapon.

"A few Bokoblins came into the town from the castle, and everyone's in a panic trying to collect their loved ones and get into their homes for safety," Auru explained.

"Ashei and I took care of the fiends, but I'm worried if more will come," Rusl added.

Shad cleared his throat, "I do believe it is more a matter of _when_, as opposed to _if_."

"Makes me wonder where the princess is during these times, yeah? I hope she feels real good about herself, just sitting up in her castle on her posh throne while the _common folk_ get nearly killed down here," she gave a dark, sarcastic chuckle, "What a worthless bi-"

"She did everything she could!" Link snapped, pounding his fist on the table, "Don't talk about her like she's some do-nothing royalty. You have no idea what she had to go through just to make sure the entire kingdom hasn't been destroyed yet!"

Everyone was silent, his outburst having rendered each Resistance member completely still. They each stopped whatever it was they were doing and stared at the heavily breathing hero in utter shock. None of them had ever seen him explode like that, with the exception of Rusl, but even he had only seen such a level of anger in his son on possibly one other occasion. Even then it wasn't as unexpected or so filled with ire.

"Uh, whoa," Ashei broke the awkward silence as she resumed the cleaning of her blade, "Wasn't expecting that. Didn't mean to piss you off or whatever."

"I do say that was quite out of character, old chap. Are you feeling alright?" Shad inquired.

Link sighed and hung his head, putting his other fist down on the table as well, but he didn't say anything.

Rusl placed a hand on his shoulder, "What's troubling you?"

His father's words were like a light bulb being clicked on in his brain, triggering something that he hadn't consciously realized was bothering him until that moment. Without a word, Link stood up straight, unsheathed the Master Sword, and laid it on the table in a single, fluid motion.

"What are you-"

"Lift it," he demanded bluntly, everyone examining his face confusedly in search of an expression that would show them he was joking or teasing. His face was straight, blank, and devoid of any such emotion.

"Link, you know we can't. Shad and Ashei have tried," Rusl said with a bit of a nervous laugh, hoping that he was simply keeping a bad joke going, honestly having begun to worry about his son's unusual behavior.

"Try again."

"Link, you're acting very strange. Just sit down and we can talk whatever this is out-"

"I said lift it!" he yelled impatiently.

Rusl furrowed his brow, avoiding the bewildered glares from the other Resistance members as they looked to him to set his son straight. When he said nothing, Auru went ahead and tried to pick up the Blade of Evil's Bane just to appease the livid hero, but he could not.

Shad tried with a newfound and misplaced hope, but it still would not budge.

Ashei gave a cynical snicker as she leaned forward and gave a meager attempt. After having failed, she scoffed, "Trying to rub it in our faces that you can lift it and we can't? Real humble of you."

He paid her words no mind. He turned and stared at Rusl, awaiting him to give his try. When he did nothing but return his gaze, Link was beginning to get frustrated.

"Lift it," he commanded in a low, intimidating voice that was unlike any tone he had ever heard from this young man's lips.

Rusl sighed but did not argue; he didn't want to make any more of a scene or cause any more problems. He reached over, laced his fingers around the hilt… but it did not give in.

He turned back to Link after his attempt, hoping now to get an answer for why he was acting so bizarrely. When he said nothing, Rusl took the initiative.

"What in Din's name is this about, Link?"

Link released a long exhale that it seemed he had been holding in since he entered before effortlessly lifting the blade into his gloved hands. He stared long and hard at the shining steel, almost believing for a moment that the answer he was looking for would be written in it. He almost thought it would tell him, speak with a voice of its own, and explain why his little brother had been able to do what no one else could.

When no such thing occurred, he spun the hilt once in his hand and responded simply, his vision remaining locked on that of his weapon, "Colin lifted it."

Rusl's eyes went a bit wide in momentary disbelief as he parroted, "Colin lifted it?"

Link nodded as he spun the blade one more time before returning it to its scabbard and explaining, "Colin lifted it when Kakariko was being attacked a few days ago. I was hurt, I dropped it… He picked it up and killed a Bulblin with it."

"Sounds like a brave kid, yeah?" Ashei pointed out, forcing Rusl to smile without even being aware he had done so.

"Why could he lift it?" Link asked, looking between each of them in turn, knowing that one of them just _had_ to have an answer.

In the back of his mind he was thinking that the Goddesses were toying with him, dangling his loved ones in front of him and making everything that much harder for him. He was filled with such _fury_ over the thought that the Goddesses might have their divine hands in what was not theirs to play with – Colin. By Farore's wind… if they were planning on doing even _half_ of what they had done to him to his little brother, then he would curse the pathetic gods with his last dying breath, and leave the whole of Hyrule to burn at their wretched hands.

No one spoke a word, so he said it again in a more demanding voice, "Why could he lift it!"

Shad flinched when he realized Link was staring daggers at him, expecting him of all people to have an explanation.

"I-I," he stuttered, Link's uncharacteristically angry tone having nearly paralyzed him, "Um, well… perhaps the Goddesses favor him? Perhaps he has some part yet to play? P-Perhaps-"

That suggestion only seemed to make Link all the more livid as he was beginning to think his initial reaction was correct, "Haven't the Goddesses done enough as it is? They can take me and play their centuries' old little game with my life for as long as they please, but Colin?" he shook his head, "No… They can't use him like they've used me! Damn the Goddesses!"

Shad was yet again taken aback, "I apologize… I-It was only an assumption. An estimation. An educated guess. A-A-"

Ashei noticed him struggling and gave him a boost, having not been intimidated by the hero's rage in the least, "I don't think it has anything to do with the Goddesses. Maybe the sword gives way when it wants to," she shrugged, "I don't know, it sounds dumb, but maybe it kind of knew you needed help, so it let Colin lift it."

"Actually, Ashei, I do believe you're onto something," Shad perked up, her comment having sparked an idea in his brilliant mind and made him forget about Link's currently frightening temper altogether, "I remember reading a very old tale about one of Hyrule's first heroes and how the creation of the Master Sword happened during his time. It is said that the legendary blade once housed a living, speaking spirit, and this spirit aided the hero on his quest. Many scholars also believe that that spirit lives within the blade even today, and that it is simply dormant. So, it is very feasible that the spirit of the sword - even though it is sleeping - could make the conscious decision to let Colin lift it in order to protect its chosen master, Link."

He stopped and glanced between the others, awaiting a response. Link seemed to be contemplating the idea the most, his eyes darting around the room as his brain clearly processed the young scholar's words. The hero knew Shad's knowledge was bountiful, and his predictions were often sound, not to mention he _had_ felt an inexplicable presence when he first awoke the mystical blade of heroes from its slumber half a year ago. Then, of course, there was the simple reason that he much preferred the second explanation to the former.

"Maybe you're right," Link said almost inaudibly, having calmed down considerably. Maybe it wasn't the Goddesses' fault.

Shad sighed inwardly, glad to have said the right words and made the downright petrifying side of the hero docile, even if only for now.

The young Ordonian sat down at the table with a sigh, removing his cap and running his fingers through his hair as he did so. He hadn't realized he had started sweating, his thick, sandy-blond locks feeling damp at the roots. He rested with his fingers in his hair for a moment, his hands being the only thing keeping his head up as he stared down at his lap and wondered if he was going crazy. He never overreacted like this – especially at friends and family. He had snapped at Midna, at Ilia, and now at the only group of people that were actually _physically_ working toward the same goal as he was, not just _talking_ about it.

The pressure of everything was finally getting to him. Perhaps, all this time he'd spent so far being the hero, it never really seemed like reaching the end and actually defeating the evil plaguing the world was possible. The end never seemed like it was something that could ever be reached in a lifetime, maybe even ten lifetimes. So… now that he had actually made it to said end, the weight of what that meant was crushing him. Everything finally felt _real_, finally felt… _heavy_.

Sure, it had been a heavy weight to carry for the past year, and the deeds he had done up until this point were anything but easy, but he had been able to be lighthearted about the situation because – as morbid as it was – he always kind of thought in the back of his mind that he would never live to see the conclusion. It wasn't a conscious decision, actually quite the opposite. It was something his subconscious had accepted all those months ago when Faron first declared him the hero chosen by the gods. Now that the conclusion was upon him, his subconscious was proven wrong, and he was barely able to keep himself from falling apart.

Knowing what the end meant, realizing just how important it was that he finish this, and understanding that the fate of an entire kingdom as well as all the lives within it depended upon him and him alone… It was too much. He knew if he went down, he would take all of Hyrule with him. He knew he had to win – there was simply no other way. But… could he?

He let out another long puff of air as he placed his signature green cap back on his head and was snapped from his thoughts by a firm hand on his shoulder.

He turned to glance over said shoulder, seeing Rusl standing tall behind him as he asked genuinely, "What's troubling you, Link?"

Link took in a deep breath and released it slowly as a means to still his rapidly beating heart and his racing mind. He was struggling in forming his rampaging thoughts into terms, but he was desperately trying to get the words out. Rusl noticed this and pulled up a chair to sit beside him, everyone else at the table leaning in to listen as well.

"I'm…" he stopped, already feeling uncomfortable with explaining this to all of them. When Rusl nodded to signify that it was alright, Link went on, "I have to defeat him. You all know who I mean. Everything I've been doing for the past year has led up to this… Every hardship I've overcome and every battle I've won has led up to this. This… This is it," he paused to give a dry chuckle, "I've heard so many stories of his immeasurable power, his insatiable lust for more, and his unmerciful acts in doing so. I've heard so many stories of his unwavering strength and his unforgiving blade… How he set Hyrule ablaze and struck down the hero-"

"But the hero overcame him," Shad interjected, immediately grabbing Link's attention as well as everyone else's as they all turned to him, "These qualities you speak of… I have read about them as well, but I have also read about how the hero's infinite courage never let up, and how he faced down the beast that was Ganon. He was triumphant!" he exclaimed with a smile, acting as if he had just heard the good news, "He was victorious, Link, and I know that you will be, too."

"Do you know what he had to go through to be victorious, though?" he questioned honestly, glancing between each of the Resistance members in turn.

"Well, no, I'm afraid I don't, but-"

"Do any of your books actually state if the hero lived _after_ the battle?"

Shad furrowed his brow, obviously never having contemplated the thought, "I-"

"I mean, sure, everyone knows that he defeated Ganon and peace was restored to Hyrule. But does anyone actually ever speak of what he did after that? If he even lived to see the outcome of his efforts?" Link proposed bitterly.

Shad frowned, "I suppose not."

"No one ever bothered to find out," Ashei spoke up with a sneer, "No one cared about what happened to the hero as long as his deed was done, yeah? Hyrule's always been filled with selfish people."

"Link, you have to know we wouldn't let that happen were such a horrible fate to befall you," Auru said.

"I appreciate the thought, Auru, truly. But could you honestly control what an entire populace thought?" he shook his head, "No, you couldn't, but it's alright; I would never ask the impossible of you. I didn't start talking about this because I want you to pity me or whatever nonsense like that. I just wanted to explain my outburst and apologize for it."

"I get it," Ashei began, "If I were you I would've been screaming and yelling at people this whole time, yeah? I think you're incredible for holding yourself together as long as you have."

They all turned to her at once, shocked at her unusual praise.

Shad reached over and placed the backside of his hand to her forehead, "No fever… Are you feeling ill?"

She smacked his hand away, "Shut up, Shad! For Din's sake! Why can't I just pay someone a compliment!"

"Well, Ashei… because you just are not that nice," he replied with a cheeky grin.

"I'll show you what '_not that nice_' really looks like-"

"Sweet Nayru, can you two stop flirting for ten whole minutes?" Auru pleaded.

"Ugh!" Ashei whined in embarrassment, but before she could get another word out, Rusl reverted the topic of conversation to what it had been originally.

"We all agree with what Ashei said, Link. We understand that it's become too much to bear and your emotions boiled over. You yelled at us - so what?" he laughed, "It's nothing we haven't done to one another before. What's important is that you collect your thoughts, compose yourself, and prepare for what you have to do."

Link nodded, realizing that simply discussing it had already calmed him significantly, "I'm not bitter about what I have to do. I think I used to be, even if I didn't realize it back then. I think I was mad at the Goddesses for making me give up my life to be their pawn… But I don't feel that way anymore," he stated, almost explaining his feelings aloud to himself more than he was to them, "I think I feel… ready. As ready as I can be, I guess."

Shad smiled, "It's good to hear you sound optimistic, old boy! I do say, I much prefer this side of you as opposed to what you showed us just earlier. You are quite terrifying when you're angry."

"You know what they say," Ashei chimed in, "'The nicest people are the scariest jerks when they've had enough.'"

Link laughed, realizing the wisdom that was held in that statement; he could relate to it. Being considered a 'nice' person by many, he held in his emotions and rarely ever expressed feelings of anger or sadness, so when it finally – and inevitably – boiled over, it was always much worse than that of what was considered an 'average' person, someone that expressed all emotions equally.

"Link…" Rusl began, facing his son straight on and grabbing his attention as he spoke in a deep, serious tone, "I need you to know how proud I am of you, and-"

The hero cut him off, raising his hand to silence him as he said, "I know what you're going to say, and even though it means the world to me, you don't need to say it. I don't want you all to treat me like I'm walking into my grave," he paused, giving them a moment to process his words before finishing as he got to his feet, "I'm going to head to bed."

"Promise me you won't leave without letting us know," Rusl said.

"Yeah," Ashei cut in, "We're going to help you, you know. So don't do something stupid like take off in the middle of the night or whatever."

Link looked surprised as he stood at the base of the stairs, "You're going to help me?"

"Tch," Ashei scoffed, "Of course! What, did you think we were just going to sit here and get drunk while you ran off to the castle to do all the dirty work? Yeah, right!"

Shad cleared his throat, "I am still quite, well… _unrefined_ in my fighting abilities, I'm afraid, but I will do my best! I've gotten a bit of practice here and there, so I should be able to defeat a few of those absurd creatures… right?"

"You'll be fine, Shad," Auru comforted, "We'll all have each other's backs."

Link still seemed a bit puzzled, "You all _do_ know that only I can fi-"

"Fight Ganondorf, yeah, yeah, yeah," Ashei interrupted, "We know. There's still the problem with all those stupid, mindless fiends that keep coming out of the castle, though. Din knows they're just waiting for the perfect moment to strike, yeah? Well, I say we strike them first."

"What do you propose?" Auru inquired.

"First thing in the morning?" Rusl offered.

"First thing in the morning," Ashei agreed with a nod.

"F-First thing in the morning?" Shad stammered, "I was under the assumption that I would have a bit more time to practice, seeing as I'm the only one that hasn't really fought-"

"Oh, Shad! You'll be fine!" Ashei exclaimed, clapping him harshly on the back, "Besides, there's no better practice than real, live, dangerous, life-threatening battles!"

The scholar's face seemed to lose all its color as sheer panic struck him to the bone. Link couldn't help but chuckle at his innocence as he remembered being scared of fighting at one point just as badly as he was. It was a bittersweet realization that few things frightened him now; sweet in the sense that he was living up to his title as the bearer of courage, bitter in the sense that it was like he was losing his humanity.

There was still one thing that struck fear in his valiant heart, though…

When Rusl noticed Link heading up the stairs for the night, he called out, "Make sure you get a good night's sleep. You're going to need all the rest you can get."

Link turned back to him and nodded; there was so much truth in that single phrase that it was ridiculous.

He dragged his tired body up the stairs and plopped on the bed of the first empty room he came across. He let out a long, heavy exhale before hearing a familiar and much-welcomed sound.

"You sure you're okay?" his shadow asked as she sat down on the bed beside him.

He nodded, "I'm as okay as I can be."

"Link, you blew up at Ilia yesterday," she said, emphasizing the reason for her question.

He sighed, "I know, and I blew up at them downstairs."

"Yeah, you did. So, I'll ask again: you sure you're okay?"

"I honestly don't know, okay? This has all gotten so intense and I really don't know what's going to happen. I've never been so unsure of my future, of what lied ahead. I was always able to picture where I'd be in a year, in two years, even in ten. Most people can picture that stuff, can't they? I can't anymore. I find myself wondering on such a smaller scale now… like, where will I be in a month? A week? Even a day? Will I be alive tomorrow? Will I see another sunrise? Is this the last time I'm going to see the kids? Ilia? Rusl? You?"

Midna stared dejectedly into his eyes as he looked up at the ceiling, his hands behind his head as he lay on his back still in his full garb atop the warm, ivory cot. She could hear his woes, could understand them, but could not relate to them. She still had an image in her mind when she pictured her future, even many, many years ahead. It broke her heart to know that, in his mind, there was never a guarantee of tomorrow, and each goodbye had the very strong possibility of being the last.

Just as she was about to open her mouth to give him words of comfort, a loud, ear-piercing scream came from downstairs. Link practically leapt off the bed, glad in that instant that he hadn't yet removed any of his gear or effects. He darted out of the room and bounded down the staircase as Midna retreated into his shadow. The first thing he saw was Shad greeting him at the bottom of the stairs, seemingly having been making his way up.

"Link!" Shad exclaimed when he looked up and noticed the hero racing towards him, "I was just coming to get y-"

He stopped abruptly when Link pushed past him to get to the main level of the bar. He noticed Telma and Auru rushing screaming and terrified guests out of a rarely-used back exit, while Ashei and Rusl swiftly ended two Bulblins near the front entrance and allowed them to pile on top of the three that were already exterminated on the floor.

The young woman gave a frustrated groan as she wiped her blade and turned toward the back of the bar to face the others, "Well there goes getting the first strike!"

Rusl did the same, "It seems they may be more intelligent than we anticipated. Attacking in the middle of the night when we would all be asleep? That requires planning that we didn't think they were capable of doing before now."

"No," Link replied surely with a shake of his head, gaining everyone's attention as Telma and Auru rejoined them, "They're just following a leader. Someone is controlling them and sending them into the town to slowly overpower us so they can then come in for the final takeover. We can't sit around and wait; I'm sure there are more in the town right now as we speak."

"Oh, dear… So much for a good night's rest," Shad muttered.

"How do you know all this?" Ashei questioned.

Link's face went stone cold, knowing exactly what foul creature led the Bulblins and realizing that it was time to put the disgusting monster down – for good, "I just know. I'll deal with it."

He drew the Master Sword and headed for the door with haste, casting a glance over his shoulder when he didn't immediately hear movement behind him, "Are you guys coming or not?"

Ashei gave an excited laugh as she, Rusl, Auru, and Shad quickly followed, "Yes! Let's go kick some ass, hero!"

"Telma," Link called just before grabbing the doorknob, turning to face her as she stood at the base of the stairs, "Bar up all the doors and windows and don't open them for anyone, understand?"

"You got it sweet pea. I can take care of myself!" she said with a wink, "It's you four that need to be careful! You hear me?"

"Yes ma'am!" Shad bellowed both eagerly and nervously, waving to her as he took the initiative of opening the door and heading out first, trying to put on a brave front.

Having not been facing forward as he crossed the threshold, Link placed a strong hand on Shad's chest to stop him before thrusting his blade directly in front of the young academic, piercing a Bulblin with its club raised and ready to strike right in front of him. Shad's eyes went wide at the near-death experience, Link's next words finally snapping him out of it.

"Never back out of a door or a corner; always keep your eyes front," he said encouragingly with a reassuring smile and a clap on the shoulder as he then took point.

They all glanced between one another in a bit of shock as he took the lead and Rusl followed quickly at his heels – none of them had seen the attack coming, and they wouldn't have been able to respond until it was too late.

"Kid knows his stuff," Ashei said with a smirk as she darted after the two Ordonians, Auru chasing closely behind and Shad bringing up the rear as he finally snapped out of his stupor.

The streets of Castle Town were dark as thick, gray storm clouds blotted out any light that the stars and the moon were trying to give off. Most of the torches were still burning bright, but it did little to help illuminate the stone pathways. Almost all of the townsfolk had made it safely into their homes, but there were still a few here and there that hung about, stubbornly thinking that nothing bad was going to happen and that everyone else was simply overreacting. They, of course, retreated like cowards when they spotted anything that even slightly resembled a monster. Link couldn't spot a single Hylian guard anywhere, and it made him sick to realize just how ill defended this majestic city had been for Din knows how long.

The Resistance members made their way through the streets, easily dispatching of the foes that tried to come at them. They were sparse in the narrow alleyways, but once they made their way to the town square their numbers intensified. There was a mass gathering of Bulblins and Bokoblins around the central fountain. They seemed to be simply meandering about senselessly, awaiting anything that would cross their path.

Link outstretched his arms and crouched down low behind a stone planter, halting those following behind him and gesturing for them to do as he had so as to remain unseen.

"Let's take all these guys out quick as we can before they can spread to other parts of the town and-"

"No," Rusl interjected, "We'll handle them. You get a head start toward the castle."

Link turned to him with a furrowed brow, but before he could get a word out, Ashei spoke up.

"He's right. We can take care of them just fine. You said you know who's leading this vermin, yeah? Well, go on ahead and take that bastard out!"

Auru nodded, "We'll be right behind you as soon as we can."

Link glanced between each of them in turn before saying with a smirk, "You said you'd have my back, so I expect you to hold to that."

"We will be there when you need us, old chap! We promise you that!" Shad proclaimed.

Rusl placed a firm hand on his son's shoulder, "We will meet you in the castle courtyard at sunrise. We'll distract them while you figure out how to get that barrier down!"

Link nodded, realizing at that moment that the mysterious blockade surrounding the castle had almost entirely slipped his mind – how was he going to get through it?

Rusl dove out from behind the barricade first, instantly grabbing the attention of the mindless rabble and drawing them to him like a moth to a flame. Auru followed quickly behind and when Ashei leapt up to do the same, she noticed Shad grab fearfully at her wrist.

She turned to him, "Don't be such a baby! I'll be right behind you the whole time, yeah? I've got your back – do you have mine?" she asked as she extended her hand to him.

He looked down at her hand, then up at her, seemingly contemplating the question for a good minute before he grasped her hand in his and got to his feet, "I have your back."

She smiled at him, giving him the extra boost he needed before the two entered the skirmish alongside their friends.

With all of the monsters preoccupied, Link snuck behind them along the stone wall of the courtyard and through the northern archway that led to the castle. He had made it successfully without any of the beasts spotting him, and he closed the heavy, wooden doors behind him, giving him and Midna the space to figure out what they were going to do.

"Well, Midna," Link called, bringing his partner into the world of light, "Got any ideas?"

"Just one," she answered with a mischievous grin.

Link instantaneously knew what she meant, and he didn't like it, "Wait, Midna, you don't know how to control that yet! Don't-"

Before he could stop her, the parts of the Fused Shadow that they had gathered so long ago hovered around her. She looked at them confusedly, not exactly sure what they would do. In an instant, the three missing pieces clicked together with the fourth that was the imp's helm like a puzzle, engulfing her small frame within it.

"Midna!" Link cried fearfully, dashing towards her and reaching out to her.

Before he could grab her, her petite body was flung against the stone wall to his left, and then it was harshly thrown to the one to his right, then back to the left, and back to the right before she was tossed like a rag doll clear over the left wall. For those brief seconds in which Link could not see her, his heart almost stopped beating. When she arose looking not at all like herself, however, his breath stilled entirely within his lungs.

Had he not seen her just flung in that direction, or if he hadn't seen her wearing the Fused Shadow as a whole, this being would have been completely unrecognizable, and he most likely would have taken it for a vicious monster that needed to be destroyed. However, he knew this was Midna, and that frightened him more than if it had been some worthless demon. She was enormous, and she took the form of a terrifying seven-legged beast. He stared up at her, his eyes wide as saucers, his heart now beating a million times per second. Could she control what she was doing? Or was she going to be accidentally destructive, being unable to keep her power in check? He honestly had no idea; all he could do was watch on in sheer wonderment.

She seemed to peer over the wall at him momentarily before pouncing onto the diamond shaped barrier that enclosed Hyrule Castle within its confines. She raised her front right arm, and out of thin air appeared a javelin. With a loud roar, she plunged the spear into the golden obstacle, and a blinding light emanated from the insertion point.

Down below, Link shielded his eyes from the overwhelming power with his forearm. He could hear a crumbling sound, and when he reopened his eyes he did not see a giant monster, but he saw the very small and very fragile body of his companion falling from much too high up. He gasped, his line of sight diving directly below her in order to discern her landing point. He ran at a breakneck pace through the first set of massive double doors before him, and just before the second set he could see that she would be reaching him any moment. Keeping his eyes glued on her rapidly approaching form, he took a few steps to the side, a few steps back, and then a few steps to the other side as he tried to make sure he was perfectly lined up. He noticed then that she had gained an incredible amount of speed. He braced himself for the impact as he held his arms out, his muscles tense as he awaited the drop.

She suddenly fell into his arms with much more force than he had anticipated. He let out an involuntary 'oomph' as he fell onto his back, but the catch was successful. He sat up and looked at her apprehensively; she was unharmed, but she was unconscious. He let out a relieved sigh as he realized she was alright, but he had no idea how long she would be out for, and he wouldn't dare go on without her.

Staying seated on the cool stone ground, he scooted himself over to lean against the nearby wall. He kept Midna in his lap and supported her head in his arm as he watched over her anxiously. Her breathing was perfectly even, her heart rate was perfectly timed – all in all she was completely well. He inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly as he lifted his face toward the heavens. The storm clouds were becoming thicker and even darker, indicating that rain was coming.

He closed his eyes as he sent a silent prayer to the Goddesses, laughing inwardly at himself as he realized that he had just been cursing them only hours earlier. Even though he found his faith in them waning more often than he would like, it was always there, underneath all his anger he harbored towards them. He needed them to watch over him and his loved ones right now – honestly, he needed them to look over all of Hyrule right now, but he knew they were doing at least that much. He prayed for them to - for once - keep their hero in mind as well, not just their beloved kingdom.

For without their hero, there would be no kingdom.

He reopened his eyes as he began to feel droplets splattering on his face; it was raining. He looked down at Midna who was beginning to stir. Her eyes fluttered open slowly, and Link leaned forward a bit so as to prevent her from getting wet as the slow trickle turned into an even pour.

He looked down at her with a smile when he realized she was awake now, "You did it."

She seemed confused for a moment before the realization of what she had done set in, "It… worked?"

He nodded, "It worked."

She swallowed hard, seemingly trying to come to terms with what had happened.

Link noticed this and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine," she stammered, "Just, like… whoa. What did I look like?"

Link laughed, "Really? You just turn into a massive creature and break through an evil, magical barrier, and your only question on the matter is what you looked like?"

"I guess your lighthearted approach to the not-so-bright subjects has rubbed off on me," she said with a smile.

"Maybe I've simply _given_ you that quality altogether. I haven't felt very lighthearted at all these past few days," he admitted grimly.

Midna looked up at him sadly, "I won't lie and say I don't miss it, but I understand that feeling not being there anymore. We're at the end, Link. We've made it. Do you remember how we started? How different we both were?"

"How could I forget?" he chuckled, "We're almost… entirely different people now, aren't we?"

She nodded, "At the beginning… it seemed like something that would never get finished, kind of like we bit off more than we could chew, you know? But we've actually made it, Link. We're right at Ganon's doorstep."

Link hung his head, "We've made it here, but can I make it the rest of the way? This is the hardest part. This is the part that actually _matters_. This is the part that decides everything. I don't know, Midna… I think I'm spent. I think I've given my all too many times; I don't think I've got anything left to give."

Midna sat up on her hero's lap and placed a delicate finger beneath his chin, lifting his gaze to meet hers, "Listen to me, Link. You're stubborn, you know that? You're hard-headed and you do what you think is right no matter what might happen to you. Yeah, sure, you've heard just about everyone tell you that it's all up to you, and that if you fail everything is doomed and all that nonsense. Even though that might be true… it's not news. You've known this since day one, and you've continuously persevered. You've driven back every single evil that's come your way. You said this was the part that actually mattered, and that didn't make sense to me. _Everything_ you've done has mattered. You gathered all three pieces of the Fused Shadow for me; if you hadn't done that I wouldn't have been able to pierce the barrier just now. You gathered all four pieces of the Mirror of Twilight; if you hadn't done that we wouldn't have been able to defeat Zant and retake my throne, and Ganon would likely continue to wreak havoc through him as a puppet. Every single thing you've done has mattered so immensely… I know you know that, and you've known the whole time that if you failed it would mean the end. Every single obstacle you've faced has had the same two options: succeed, or die. It's grim, but it's true, and you've never let it get to you."

She paused before placing a dainty hand on his cheek and staring directly into his beautiful, cobalt eyes before finishing, "You've always been so strong, you've always been able to keep a clear head even under the worst circumstances. Don't let the pressure get to you now. Don't trip at the finish line, Link. I know you've got more in you to give. For Din's sake, you're the hero! And I've never heard a more fitting title for anyone. You are _the_ hero, Link. You are the hero that can and _will_ defeat Ganondorf and return your world of light to its former glory. You _can_ do this, and you _will_, so don't let that stupid little voice in the back of your mind saying 'what if' get to you. I want the lighthearted Link back; I know he's in there somewhere."

Link smiled an unreserved smile that touched the imp's heart, "Something that's changed about you: you weren't this eloquent in the beginning."

She giggled, dropping her hands to her lap, "Actually, I was, I just much preferred being mean."

They were silent for a moment, before Link let out a sigh and asked, "You think I've got this?"

She scoffed, "You've _so_ got this. Ganon doesn't even stand a chance."

Link couldn't help but chuckle as he slowly got to his feet, Midna moving to hover beside him as he said, "You always _have_ known just what to say to get me to respond, though, that much hasn't changed. Whether it was for good or bad."

She gave him a heart-warming smile and a peck on the cheek before returning to his shadow, giving him space to be alone with his thoughts before opening the final set of massive doors that led into the castle courtyard.

Just like that, there was a change in him. He no longer felt angry, on edge, or '_spent_,' as he had referred to it. He didn't expect it… but he felt calm, at peace, and at last _one_ with his fate. He no longer felt fearful or anxious like he had been feeling and like he had expected himself to. He felt _ready_, now more than ever, to bring down the evil king.

He had accepted his destiny, and now he would live up to it.

* * *

_**To come to terms with and accept your fate, even if that fate is uncertain.**_

* * *

**A/N: **So, my original plan was to get a bit farther into the castle in this chapter, but I can't mess with a perfect stopping point. That last paragraph or two is the whole meaning of the chapter title, so it would have felt silly to continue past it. I know you were probably expecting more action, but I promise, promise, promise it's coming in the next one, and I'm thinking I'll probably have the next one up just as quickly because I'm so excited to get to the Ganondorf battle. Besides, I love a good, slow build, especially when we're coming up on the height of it all!

Pretty please make sure to leave me a review with your thoughts! Reviews are my fuel, people! No fuel, no inspiration, no story, which equals sad faces for everyone :(

Love you all! See you soon! :D


	57. The Right Choice

**A/N: **I have been so excited about these chapters that I just haven't been able to stop writing, thus the reason for all the fast updates. I hope this makes up for some of the times I took a long time to update! Anyway, here's the action I've been promising ;)

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 57: The Right Choice

**.:.**

The palace yard and the view of the castle from within it was beautiful, to say the least.

Even despite being shrouded in storm clouds and the ever darkening cloak of evil that was smothering it, it still stood tall. To Link, he thought of the castle like a bright sun on a cloudy day, trying desperately to shine its brilliant light upon everyone below, but being unable to overcome the suffocating clouds that surrounded it.

The rain pitter-pattered on the bright white cobblestone pathway beneath the hero's feet which trailed both to the eastern and western wings of the castle courtyard, and led right up to the palace's grand front entrance. Three ornate, geometric statues stood tall in the yard, one directly center, one before the east gate, and one before the west. Each one stood almost two stories tall, and at the top was a large triangle, each stone figure seemingly portraying the three respective parts of the sacred Triforce.

Link stared up at the skyscraping, awe-inspiring building, unable to see the top of even the lowest of the numerous towers through the thick fog. The dark sky was littered with pesky Kargaroks, and in the distance amongst the tall grass Link could make out a band of witless Bokoblins wandering aimlessly about. He knew he would have to deal with them all so as to avoid them making their way into the town, but they had yet to spot him, so he gave himself another minute or two to collect his thoughts before diving into the fray.

How ironic it was that it was raining, Link pondered. It wasn't a downpour, but it wasn't a light trickle, either. It was a perfect sort of in-between, and he didn't mind the refreshing feeling in the least. It was common back in Ordon to enjoy the rain, because it was so vital for the vegetables and grass to grow, and it was needed to clear away the dirt and muck. '_After a storm, the sun shines even brighter than before_,' was a saying often heard in his home village as well, and he had found that it had proven to be accurate all of his life.

Now, he hoped that saying would hold true.

Noticing that the sky to the east was starting to lighten just ever so slightly, he knew the sun would soon peak over the horizon and his friends would meet him here like they had promised. Wanting to spare them any extra fighting as he knew they would have already done plenty of it by the time they would arrive, he decided to end the beasts in this central courtyard before their arrival.

Still, he also knew that he would likely be battling monster after monster for Din knows how many hours – or days – from here on out, so he went with a much quicker and easier means of eliminating this vermin: archery.

He stealthily crouched down and shuffled over to the tall, center statue, using its base as cover as he withdrew his bow and pulled an arrow from his quiver. He placed the arrow on the bowstring and silently pulled back. He held it for a brief moment, following the Kargarok's movements in order to ensure a successful hit, squinting a bit as the thick mist in the area provided quite the visual challenge. When he released, the sound of a not-so-distant squeal caught his attention and through the fog he saw the aerial creature fall to the dirt with a thud.

He smirked in satisfaction at the direct hit before doing the same with the next two Kargaroks. Since he was crouched behind the stone statue with the heavy smog in the air providing even more cover, they were unable to spot where the strikes were coming from – and let's face it, they weren't Hyrule's most intelligent monster, either.

He missed the bullseye on the fourth airborne beast as it performed an unexpected dive to the side, causing the arrow to nick its left wing and render it flightless. He stood from his hiding spot and ran to the downed fiend, noticing instantaneously that at this rate it would die an agonizingly slow death. He unsheathed the Master Sword and quickly drove the steel into the heart of the monster, and it was quiet instantly. Although, now that he was out in the open, he was spotted by the mass amounts of Bokoblins, and they all charged at him from both sides at once.

He spun the hilt of his blade once in his hand, bending his knees a bit as he readied himself for the assault. Luckily, Bokoblins were infinitely more brainless than Bulblins, giving him the advantage of using their stupidity against them despite being extremely outnumbered.

The first came at him with a wailing screech, its rusty, metal cleaver held high above its head in preparation of the first strike. Link swung his sword at the ogre's useless weapon, knocking it clear out of its blue hands. It yelped in surprise and was paralyzed in place, giving Link the opportunity to end it with a quick jab, and he did just that.

The second advanced on him from behind, but none of these trolls understood the importance of a silent approach. He could've heard it coming from a mile away, giving him plenty of time to react when it most likely thought it was going to catch the hero by surprise. He whirled around on his heel, carving effectively into the unsightly monster's front, and then slicing in the opposite direction when another Bokoblin stood right behind the former after it fell to the ground. He spun back around, lobbing the head off of one that had almost managed to sneak up on him noiselessly. Blood spurted wildly from the neck of the headless body before it collapsed, coating Link in the revolting liquid as he cut open another beast that came at him immediately after its comrade fell.

He hated to end any of these creatures in what he knew to be a slow, painful death, but when dozens were coming at him all at once, he had to focus solely on keeping _himself_ alive, not finishing off each fiend in the 'nicest' way possible.

One after another they came; the horde seemed endless. The tenth Bokoblin managed to tear a gash in the hero's right bicep while he had been focusing on dispatching of the eleventh to his front. He groaned, but paid the minor injury no mind as he ended the pesky devil with an angry snarl and a deep slash to its chest.

In the quickest instant imaginable, Link reached his arm over his shoulder and behind him, using the Master Sword to block an all-too-close swing from a Bokoblin at his back as he did not have the time to turn around lest his head be sliced open. With the monster's attempt foiled, Link spun around, his blade still pushing against that of his adversary's. With only inches between them, Link head-butted the creature violently, sending it stumbling back as another took its place. Its cleaver held high in preparation of a vertical swing, the hero grabbed the steel with his gloved hand as it was about to descend upon him, halting the motion entirely. The monster looked completely dumbstruck as Link caught its weapon, not minding that a tiny trail of blood trickled down his glove and bracer from his palm upon impact. He snatched the makeshift blade from the Bokoblin's grasp with ease, tugging so violently that the beast fell flat on its face at the hero's feet. Using its own hatchet against it, Link swung the tarnished steel high overhead and brought it down fiercely into the demon's back.

With another approaching at his side, he turned toward it with haste, dual-wielding his own legendary sword along with the exterminated Bokoblin's rusty blade. He sliced clean through the oncoming attacker with both weapons, then quickly crossed the two metals over each other to block another fiend's attempt at a swing at him. Leaving the cleaver in his right hand held up to keep the enemy's weapon pinned there, he drove the blade in his left hand directly into the Bokoblin's belly. He kicked the dying fiend off of the end of his sword as he used the other to cut deeply into the side of the next.

"Link!"

The sudden voice caught him off guard, compelling him to turn towards the entrance to the courtyard where it came from. He glanced in that direction and could just make out the four familiar forms through the fog. That was when he realized that the sun had risen some time ago and had already climbed quite a bit over the horizon.

"Look out!"

He heard again, noticing his friends pick up the pace to reach him. The momentary distraction took his focus off the demons that were still coming at him, leaving an incredibly small window for the hero to react to the next attack. He turned a split second before a wild swing made contact, raising his right handed weapon just in time to block the attack while he thrust his left handed weapon down harshly upon the Bokoblin's scrawny arm that was trying so desperately to overcome the hero's strength. It wailed a loud cry of pain as its limb was severed from its body, and Link silenced it with a quick stab to the heart.

Two then came at him at once, both of their dull blades held high and ready to strike. As they brought them down upon the young Hylian, he raised both of his weapons in unison, each hand respectively blocking both Bokoblins. He forced both opponents' cleavers around in a circle to drop their guard, which was when he simultaneously slashed diagonally inwards through both their chests, felling them swiftly.

When a more distant screech reached his long, Hylian ears, he turned and noticed a rogue Bokoblin running toward his companions who were fast approaching. He knew they could handle it effortlessly, but he didn't want to make them fight any more than they had to. He chucked the blunt cleaver from his right hand, aiming for the lone monster and not even waiting to see if the hit was efficacious as he eradicated another with ease that was beside him.

From the Resistance members' viewpoint, they could see Link throw his spare weapon, and in the brief second that it took the metal to fly they watched him obliterate another two foes. They halted right before the center statue as the Bokoblin that had been making its way over to them collapsed at their feet, the rusted steel of one of its former comrades sticking out of its spine.

They looked back up at the hero, noticing that there were still about four monsters surrounding him. Ashei tried to bound up to him, but Rusl held her back, knowing that Link would most likely already be done by the time she would make it to him.

They watched on in awe as he ducked under a haphazard swing from one, kicked another off its feet, and landed a painful right hook into the next to momentarily stun it before taking the open moment to thrust the Master Sword into the one that had fallen to the ground from his sweeping kick. With three left, he couldn't help but smirk as he noticed they were in a perfect line, one behind the other. He sprang forward with an exasperated yell, plunging his sharp blade into the heart of the first beast and coming straight out its back and into the second and the third, skewering them and killing them all instantly. He placed his boot on the front one's chest, kicking the filthy rabble off of the end of his blade – it was finally done.

He gave a long, tired exhale as he turned to where he knew the group was standing near the sculpture. They were approaching him cautiously, each one with a varying look of shock on their faces.

"You alright?" Rusl asked as he made his way to him first, a genuinely concerned look on his mature features as he reached out and placed a gentle hand on his son's shoulder.

Link nodded, "I'm fine."

"Damn," Ashei muttered as she stared at the ground. The once-white cobblestones were now covered in blood, and an exorbitant amount of carcasses from the deceased fiends lay at the hero's feet, "Did you seriously kill all these by yourself just now? I mean, for Din's sake, there's gotta be like… at least twenty or thirty here."

Link shrugged as he sheathed his sword, "Not a big deal, really. They were only Bokoblins."

"It is still an incredible feat!" Shad exclaimed, "I do say, the four of us combined probably dispatched of just as many in the same amount of time. You really are quite the brawler, old boy!"

Link smiled awkwardly in thanks of the young man's compliment. Sure, it was a large number of the ogres to take on at a single time, but if only they knew some of the much more dangerous monsters he had taken on in the past.

"And to be mostly unscathed, too, yeah?" Ashei added as she looked him up and down.

He had a lightly bleeding gash on his upper arm as well as on the palm of his hand, and the blood of dozens of beasts covered him head to toe. His boots were almost entirely stained red, and they stood in almost an inch-deep pool of the vile bodily liquid, surrounded by bodies upon bodies of dead Bokoblins. It was a gruesome sight, to be sure.

"We need to head farther in and eliminate these demons at the source, but first we should get ourselves patched up as it's likely only to get worse from here," Rusl suggested as he pulled a roll of bandages from the pack on his hip, "That cut is bleeding quite freely, Link," he stated as he motioned to the young man's arm.

"It's not a problem. No need to waste time on such an insignificant cu-"

"Just shut up and let me bind it real quick, yeah?" Ashei blurted, taking the gauze from the older Ordonian's hands as she made her way over to Link.

She unrolled it in a flurry, mumbling to herself all the while about how stubborn and hard-headed the hero was. He was almost positive he could actually _feel_ his shadow snickering the whole time.

She pushed up his sleeve in order to get a better look as the cut lay just above his elbow. None of them had the supplies to clean any of their wounds, but patching it up was better than nothing, they supposed. She wrapped the white bandages around the hero's muscular bicep before getting started on the palm of his hand. Meanwhile, Auru had remained mostly unharmed, only burdened by minor scrapes that had already stopped bleeding, and Rusl harbored only a small gash to his left shoulder. Auru wrapped his comrade's lightly-bleeding cut before handing the quickly diminishing roll of gauze back to Ashei so she could finally tend to Shad last. He, like the others, hadn't obtained much of anything to fret over; his infliction was a horizontal slash across his right forearm, and it had cut quite deeply since that part of his body was completely unprotected.

Once everyone was ready to go, Link inquired, "Is the town clear?"

"Yes," Auru responded, "The town is safe for now, but we need to focus on making sure that no more beasts get through here."

"He's right, we can't delay any longer," Rusl noted.

"Wait," Ashei said, "I just have one question for Link."

"Yeah?" he inquired.

"How'd you manage to get that barrier around the castle down? I mean, it was put up there with some pretty powerful magic, yeah?"

"Uh, well," he stammered, "I guess you could just say I had some help from a friend," he replied with a smirk, casting a glance at Rusl who he knew would get the hint.

Rusl nodded, signifying that he understood, and then urged their friends on so as to avoid further questions, "Let's search to the west first."

Without another word, they all headed for the large, heavy door that led into the castle's west courtyard. Upon opening it and stepping inside, the sound of Bulblins and Bokoblins both screeching could be heard instantly. Everywhere they looked there were wooden barricades and towers with archers perched on them, and Link immediately knew what was coming as he heard the sound of multiple bowstrings being pulled back.

"What in Nayru's name is all of this-" Shad tried, but Link's sudden action stopped him short.

"Everyone get down!" the hero yelled, plowing into the oblivious scholar in front of him and diving to the ground, the rest of them following suit when they realized they were being aimed at.

As soon as they all hit the dirt, a wave of arrows soared over their prone bodies. Shad let out a startled gasp of air when Link pulled him up abruptly by the tall collar of his jacket and thrust him against the nearest ligneous blockade so that they would be protected from when another wave would undoubtedly come. The others followed quickly after, sitting with their backs to the barricade just the same.

"Keep your heads down," Link demanded as he withdrew his bow and placed an arrow on the string.

"I do say, old chap, that was a bit rough," Shad said, rubbing sorely at his neck.

"Hey!" Ashei barked, instantly grabbing the nervous scholar's attention as she smacked him in the shoulder, "He knows you're not good at this stuff and he's making sure you don't act stupid and get yourself killed! I'd be thankful I had a hero covering my ass if I was you, yeah?"

"Yes," Shad frowned, avoiding her glare before murmuring, "You're right, as usual."

"Wait, what? Did you just say I'm usually right?" she reiterated, a teasing grin on her face.

"Oh, don't make me say it again," he whined.

She couldn't help but giggle.

"You two, keep it down, Link's trying to concentrate," Auru scolded.

Link had already shot down two of the perched Bulblin archers when he sat back down and drew another arrow while under cover, the sound of the beasts' projectiles striking the opposite side of their barricade as he did so.

"Well, the hero doesn't need to steal the spotlight all the time," Ashei said with a smirk, pulling out her own bow that was strapped to her back and knocking an arrow on the bowstring before turning around, standing on her knees, and firing down a distant Bulblin.

The shriek informed the others that her hit was successful as she ducked back down, and Link gave her a smile of his own as the two continued shooting down the remaining enemy archers.

With all of the long range attackers taken out, Ashei sat back down while the hero scoped the area, assessing the number of fiends and devising a plan.

"If only we had some heavy firepower…" Link mumbled, noticing that one group of Bokoblins in particular were huddled together very closely, and that it would be all too easy to simply toss a bomb or something similar in the middle and take them all out at once. Unfortunately, he preferred not to carry explosives on him unless he knew he would need them as he was actually quite paranoid of setting one off on accident, so they were currently out of luck.

"Firepower, you say?" Auru echoed as the older man got to his feet, spotted the group Link must have been referring to, and took the large bazooka-like weapon off his back. He aimed it at the mindless bunch and let an explosive fly.

The rest of them stood as well, eager to see what would happen. The shot was dead center, sending all of the surrounding creatures sky-high.

Link practically beamed from ear to ear, looking like a little kid in a toy shop, "Whoa! That's amazing!"

"Comes in handy," the older man stated as he returned it to his back, "But, unfortunately, it's a dangerous weapon and carries only one bomb at a time, making it impossible to use frequently."

Link frowned.

"What a shame, right?" Ashei said, elbowing the hero beside her, "Wouldn't it be awesome to be able to run around shooting that thing at all these monsters? It would make everything _so_ much easier and quicker, yeah?"

"I doubt such a thing will ever be commonplace, Ashei," Shad laughed, "Come on now, a weapon that can shoot explosive like ammunition freely from one's hands? It's a preposterous thought, really."

"Enough of this idle prattle," Rusl interjected, his sword at the ready as he charged ahead of them, "There are still more yet."

The older Ordonian dove into the fray first, having taken another group of Bulblins and Bokoblins a bit farther away off guard. He cut down two in rapid succession by the time Ashei, Auru and Link caught up with him. Shad, still being rather fearful of the whole situation, remained towards the outskirts of the battle, taking down only the fiends that decided to wander away from the main skirmish.

The eldest member, Auru, was a bit slower on his feet than his younger friends, not only because of his age but because of the heavy weapon he wielded. His blade of choice was a greatsword, a sword that lived up to its name – it was long, heavy, and had to be wielded with two hands. He fought closest to Rusl, knowing that if he was ever too sluggish to respond to an oncoming swing that his lifelong friend and comrade would be right there to aid him.

Rusl, on the other hand, employed a broadsword, a weapon which allowed for more speed than power. It was shorter than most swords and much lighter, permitting him to be quick on his feet and parry with ease.

Ashei and Link fought mostly on their own, quite a ways away from the others. The female warrior used a longsword, a sword that was – hence the name – longer than most, both in the blade and in the hilt, giving it a bit of weight to it as well. It could be wielded either one handed or two handed, but she most often used it single-handedly. She was fairly speedy, and was exceptionally battle smart. Although her skills were more so learned in training as opposed to actual experience - which Link knew that there was no teacher like real-life experience - she was still a very capable swordswoman.

Shad, unlike the others, stuck with his short dagger that Ashei had given to him years ago. He was not skilled or trained, but he was incredibly brilliant, and that gave him the core ability to keep himself alive on the battlefield and fend for himself, even if it wasn't done as gracefully as his fellow Resistance members.

They each took down several beasts in their own respective areas, their enemy's numbers beginning to quickly dwindle down. That was, however, until something unexpected happened.

With all of them having been preoccupied with the brawl on the ground, no one noticed when a lone Bulblin climbed to the top of one of the now-empty towers to take its fallen comrade's place. It grabbed out its bow and aimed a flaming arrow for the adversary it noticed to be taking out the most of its allies – Link. It pulled back the bowstring and everyone stopped dead in their tracks when they heard the hero cry out.

Ashei gasped and yelled, "Link!"

Time seemed to stop to the group members. They watched in slow motion as the hero stumbled back upon impact, an arrow shaft sticking out of the front of his right shoulder. He winced in pain for only a second before regaining his composure. He tugged the projectile brutally from his flesh, an almost silent moan escaping his lips as he did so. He placed the arrow drenched in his own blood onto his bow and unleashed it upon the perched pest, destroying it instantly.

"Did you bloody see that?" Shad exclaimed in utter shock at the hero's display.

"Kid's insane!" Ashei shouted as she stabbed another monster at her side.

"Sit this one out, Link!" Rusl yelled to his son, having witnessed it all but being unable to go to him as he continued slashing at the Bokoblins that just kept coming, "We can finish them off!"

"I'm fine!" he bellowed, his voice sounding surprisingly strong through his obvious grimace.

Rusl wanted to argue, but he knew it was futile.

With the horde finally nearing its end, one final, sneaky Bulblin thought it would try its hand at the same thing its former had done. It climbed soundlessly to the top of a different abandoned archer's tower and prepared a projectile. Shad, having felled only around three monsters and now simply standing idly by, was able to notice the rogue enemy. He followed its line of sight as it directed a flaming arrow at Ashei. He gasped, not even hesitating for a second as he ran towards her shouting her name.

"Ashei!" he cried, causing her to turn to him in confusion.

He plowed into her, forcing her to the ground to avoid the strike. However, his attempt was not completely successful. While the arrow _did_ miss the young girl, it managed to scratch his right side. It did not penetrate his flesh, but it soared directly parallel with it, creating a long, horizontal gash just beneath his ribcage.

Link heard the commotion, and once he saw that they were both safe, he shot down the final annoying Bulblin in between slicing open two Bokoblins at either side of him.

Ashei, having finally registered what exactly just happened, lay on the ground panting in astonishment. She looked over at Shad who was lying beside her with his eyes wide as saucers, his breath just as quick, if not quicker, than hers.

"You saved me," she stated, staring at him in total disbelief.

He didn't look at her, didn't say a word, he simply nodded as he continued to stare up at the rainclouds. Without even the slightest bit of uncertainty, Ashei sat up, turned to him, grabbed the sides of his face in her hands, leaned in and planted a long, sensual kiss on his lips. At first, he was so shocked that he did not reciprocate the gesture, but it didn't take long for him to accept it and give in. He closed his eyes in delight, the enjoyment of the embrace having taken away the pain in his side entirely.

The others seemed to heave a sigh in unison when the final foe was eliminated, and each of them seemed to freeze completely when they caught sight of Shad and Ashei kissing on the grass.

Link and Rusl couldn't help but smile as Auru gave a deep, whole-hearted laughter, "About Goddess-damned time, you two!"

Ashei jumped at the remark, immediately removing herself from the top of the scholar and trying to act casual.

"He's hurt," Link muttered, more so to himself than to anyone else as he instantly noticed a small puddle of blood beginning to pool up underneath him.

He went to his side opposite Ashei, the side that sustained the injury, and began grabbing for the bandages in his knapsack.

"Can you sit up?" Link inquired, trying to discern the red-haired man's feelings through his wet glasses.

Shad nodded, wincing a bit as he did so before saying, "I really will be just fine, old boy. It is you who I am more worried about."

Link shook his head as he began wrapping the ivory gauze around Shad's midsection, the rain having cleared away some of the blood, "I'm used to this."

"Used to being shot with arrows?" Ashei questioned with a cocked eyebrow, "That's not something anyone should be_ 'used to_,' yeah?"

"Well, I am," he answered bluntly and in a tone that said, '_I don't want to talk about this anymore_.'

"Link," Rusl began, "Used to it or not, you still need to be bandaged up. Ashei can take care of Shad-"

"Clearly," Auru teased with a grin, receiving a glare from Ashei.

"So just let her do that and come let me patch you up."

Link sighed, not wanting to argue. He handed the loose cloth that he had been wrapping around Shad to Ashei before turning to Rusl who was taking a seat beside him.

As his father figure started unraveling his own personal roll of gauze, Link realized something. When he yanked the arrow shaft out, the head had still been inside his flesh. Farore… He cursed himself inwardly, growing angry with his ignorance. In the heat of the battle it had just seemed to slip his mind.

As Rusl began to weave the bandaging under Link's underarm and around the top of his shoulder, the older man noticed a strange lump under his skin. The hero could see the wheels in his mind turning, and in only a second he saw it click.

Rusl looked at him with almost a disappointed expression, "Link…"

"I know," he exhaled, "Arrowhead's still in there."

"Oh dear," Shad said, "What are we going to do about tha-"

"Nothing we_ can_ do. Not here. It'll have to wait until this is all done and Renado can fix it."

"Link," Auru chastised, having been standing directly behind Rusl, "Don't be foolish."

"I'm not being foolish, I'm being honest. He had to use some special tool to get it out last time. No way to do it here. I can deal with it," he stated simply, motioning for Rusl to just go ahead and bind it.

"'_Last time_'?" Shad mouthed wordlessly to Ashei in shock.

Ashei scoffed after finishing with tying the knot on Shad's bandages, "And how do you expect to keep fighting, huh? That's your shield arm, yeah?"

"Trust me," he replied with a dry chuckle, "I've fought with worse."

They all were silenced. They didn't know what he meant, or what exactly it was that he had had to deal with in the past, but none of them dared to ask, either. They knew this was not the time or place, and even if it were, it was most likely a subject the hero would rather not discuss. So, Rusl quickly finished dressing Link's new wound, and he endured it mutely, without so much as even displaying a single expression of discomfort.

With Shad having downed a red potion that Ashei had stowed in her pack to alleviate some of the pain that he was so unaccustomed to feeling, they were ready to go at it again. They made their way through the west courtyard and into the northern graveyard before they ran into any monsters. There was a disturbing collection of reanimated skeletons in the place of the dead, and Auru was quick to blow them to smithereens as everyone – except Link who had seen living bones before – was equally freaked out and did not want to get close to them.

When they entered the east courtyard, it proved to be quite different from the west. There were no wooden barricades or archer's towers; it was mostly just open and grassy. Oh, and, of course, there were dozens of Bokoblins.

"Maybe the big, bad leader of these stupid beasts you were talking about will be here, yeah?" Ashei offered in hopes of lifting the group's spirits.

"Maybe," Link said as he withdrew his blade.

The raucous sound of Bokoblins screeching could be heard as everyone prepared themselves for another battle. Auru did his best to aim his bazooka at the mass and abolish as many as he could from a distance, but with the monsters already running toward them he was only able to take out a few. He tucked his massive weapon aside with a sigh as he drew his large blade and charged into combat, followed at the heels by Rusl. Ashei and Shad were close behind, both of them now fighting directly behind one another so as to have the other's back. Link remained mostly solitary, taking out as many as he possibly could on his own.

The troupe was successful in valiantly eradicating a good number of demons before a deep, grating laughter stung in the hero's long ears. He would recognize that awful sound from anywhere, and while the others only vaguely heard it, they were forced to pay it no mind as they continuously took down Bokoblin after Bokoblin.

Link, however, was suddenly entrapped in a large, circular barrier, much like the one that was surrounding the castle only hours ago. Before he could really fret over it, he looked up to see a familiar, vile creature leaping down from one of the castle's fortifications and landing in the ring with him. Its huge body shook the ground, and its hideous face looked up at him in a flash. Link snarled both out of resentment and pleasure. It was King Bulblin, and at last, he would end this disgusting vermin – no escaping, no trickery, this was it.

He would have his revenge.

"I have come to play!" the king declared.

Link's lips curled up into a smile as he spun his blade once in his hand, grabbing his shield from his back and holding it at the ready, dismissing the dull twinge of pain in his shoulder as he said, "Have you, though? You look a little… beaten up since we last met."

It was true, Link noticed. The leader of the Bulblins was almost entirely missing both of his once-long horns, and he had a scar trailing along his fat belly that Link remembered triumphantly inflicting on him last time.

The massive Bulblin growled threateningly, "You got lucky, boy! Don't think you'll win so easily this time!"

Link couldn't help but laugh out loud, "You know, that's so funny, I'm pretty sure you said that _exact_ same thing to me before. Sure you want to go through the humiliation of losing again?"

By now the king was livid. He hefted his enormous axe up in the air and brought it down right at the hero's feet with an ear-piercing roar, hoping to instill fear in the confident hero, but he didn't budge.

The troll suddenly drew in close, breathing its repulsive breath into Link's face as the furious Bulblin whispered, "This will be the last time, _scum_, I promise you."

"Agreed," Link said with a cocky smirk.

King Bulblin growled in anger, putting a bit of distance between them as he threw his arm back, winding up for a heavy swing. Link instantly knew what he was doing and hurriedly rolled to the other side, getting behind the ogre before he could even realize where his opponent was. Link leapt to his feet, slicing madly at the king's bare back as he did so.

The fuming Bulblin hissed in pain and whirled around, spinning his giant axe wildly. Link quickly ducked, the steel soaring just over his cap.

From his position near the ground, Link took the opportunity to slash violently into the king's scrawny legs. The troll seemed unfazed. He cackled maniacally and kicked the hero brutally under the chin. Link was thrown back upon impact, his neck emitting a sick popping sound from the sheer force. He grumbled as he lay briefly on his back, rubbing at the underside of his jawbone before hastening back to his feet.

King Bulblin sauntered slowly over to him, an evil grin on its ugly, dark lips all the while, clearly thinking that his victory was in the bag. Link didn't waste another minute. He picked up into a run, closing the short distance between them in a hurry. The king brought his axe down like a mighty hammer, but Link dodged the sluggish swing with a quick jump to the side. The troll lifted it and did the same again, but Link once again darted out of harm's way with a jump back to the center. With one last attempt of the same routine, King Bulblin swung a bit too hard, getting his massive axe stuck firmly in the dirt.

As he spent precious seconds yanking it free, Link used the opening to his advantage. He hacked at the king's front, focusing on his weak spot, which was the massive gash that Link had given him on their last encounter. With four good, deep slices administered, King Bulblin suddenly and unexpectedly lashed out. He pulled his weapon free and swung it at the hero in one fluid motion so quickly that he hadn't even seen it coming.

The flat side of the Bulblin's axe slammed into Link's ribs punitively, hitting him with the king's full force and sending him flying across the ring and into the magical, golden barrier. He let out an uncontrollable grunt upon impact before gravity pulled him to the grass with a thud, the shock and pain of the collision rendering him momentarily incapacitated.

He could hear Ashei gasp from the opposite side of the arena, behind King Bulblin who he could hear laughing as he ambled over to him sluggishly. He watched through half-lidded eyes, struggling through the rain drops pelting his eyelashes, as Ashei ran up to the mostly-translucent wall and began egging the king on.

"Hey, fatty!" she bellowed, pounding on the barrier with her fists as she did so, "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"

The leader of the Bulblins turned around menacingly, a wicked grin on his face as he looked at the young woman.

They had just managed to finish off the remaining Bokoblins when they heard Link take a nasty hit, and Ashei could see that he was in need of a distraction so that he could get back on his feet, so that's what she was doing. Shad and Auru tried to pull her away from the thin wall between her and the angry Bulblin should her taunting go a bit _too_ far and make him decide he wanted to kill _her_ instead, but she didn't care.

"Do you always pick on people much smaller than you are? Huh? Are you that much of a pathetic _coward_?"

The king snickered, now facing her straight on as he approached the blockade.

"How about you try fighting me, huh? Try fighting a _girl_, maybe then you'll feel _real_ good about yourse-"

She stopped abruptly and gasped when the massive ogre suddenly punched the wall right in front of her, leaned in really close, and yelled so loud that saliva dripped from his sickening mouth, "Tell this whiny, little _brat_ to keep her trap shut or I will shut it for her!" he demanded, taking turns glaring at the three men beside her.

None of them said a thing, seeing that Link was standing back up silently and that he only needed a few more seconds.

When it remained quiet, the king went on, "I will tear you all apart, rip out your innards, and the Bulblins will feast upon them! You'll see- agh!"

The hero suddenly came up from behind, leapt up, and wrapped his arms around the fat beast's neck, choking him out. The king stumbled back, clawing viciously at Link's arms. When that attempt proved ineffective, King Bulblin lurched backward, forcing the smaller Hylian off of his shoulders and onto the ground. He hurried back to his feet, standing at the ready as the troll turned to him on a dime, a new, even angrier scorn in his red, intimidating eyes.

Link didn't wait for his adversary to make the first move; he was so ready to be done with this lifelong nuisance. He lunged forward with a quick, horizontal slice, but the king blocked it with the long, wooden handle of his weapon. He then swung diagonally, transversely, vertically, horizontally again, and diagonally again, each time only to be parried by his enormous axe.

This time, he went with something different, knowing that his nemesis would not expect it. He feigned a parallel strike from the right, but he, instead, struck diagonally from the left, managing to cut open the fiend's dominate shoulder and upper chest since he had not anticipated the need to guard in that direction. King Bulblin let out a pained cry, stumbling to his knees on the cold, wet ground as he grasped at his fresh wound.

Just as Link was about to go in for the kill, his foe began reaching his arm back for one last swing of his mighty axe. The hero saw this coming and stopped the beast dead in his tracks with a swift left hook to his openly bleeding shoulder, the agony forcing the king to drop his weapon from his hand, and Link didn't waste a split second in kicking it as far away from him as he could. With one last right uppercut to the fading beast's face, Link pulled him in close by his cowl and pressed the sharp edge of the Master Sword up against his neck.

"Give me a reason I shouldn't kill you this very instant," the hero commanded through gritted teeth, his voice low and frightening.

The king stammered, knowing full well that he had lost this fight and was now pleading for his life, "I-I-We'll help you! Y-Yes… the Bulblins will aid you in battle!"

"And why on Farore's green earth would I ever trust you? Why! Do you know what you've put me through? The things you've done to me?"

The now-powerless Bulblin could only stutter incoherencies.

"ANSWER ME!" Link screamed so loud that his comrades standing on the other side of the barricade flinched at the sheer power in his voice.

"I-I-"

"You murdered my father and mother!" he yelled, not even caring to hear what the stupid beast had to say for himself, "You kidnapped my little brothers and sister and my best friend! You tried to kill _them_, too! All my life you've done nothing but bring me hell, and now, I'd like to give the same to you."

He pressed his blade into his rival's neck with even more force, cutting through his cowl and drawing little beads of blood as the fiend begged, "Pl-Please… I give you my word that the Bulblins will help you bring down the tyrant… Please…"

Link scoffed, easing up just slightly, "You are pathetic, do you know that? As soon as you discover you no longer have the upper hand, you turn into a _pitiful_, wriggling _worm_. Why should I believe that you will honor your word and be my ally? Was it not only moments ago that you were threatening _these_ friends of mine as well? One of them being my adoptive father? You must think I'm stupid."

"I follow the strongest side…" he muttered through gasps of air, "That is all I have ever known."

Link simply furrowed his brow, awaiting an elaboration.

"The evil king came to me in a dream many, many years ago and told me of my task: eliminating the hero."

Link almost wanted to laugh, but he refrained, "You're trying to tell me you _dreamt_ that Ganondorf threatened you, and that you just blindly followed this-this…" he paused to search for the word, "_apparition's _demands?"

"If you can't believe my words, then you must not understand the true amount of power the evil king has at his disposal."

Link didn't know what to say; he was completely… dumbfounded. There was a sincerity in this wretched creature's words and in his expression that he knew he was telling the truth. He could see in his dark eyes that he was genuinely terrified of Ganondorf, and that for his entire life all he was trying to do was escape the dark lord's wrath.

"And yet, you said you follow the strongest side… You wouldn't dare defy Ganon to help me if that were true."

"I would, because you have become the stronger side."

His response was quick, indicating no manner of debating or considering. His words were blunt and to the point, and the hero couldn't explain it, but he honestly believed that he meant them one hundred percent.

Link studied him for a good minute, waiting to see if any display of deceit crept into his expression, but no such thing occurred.

"I've waited _years_ to make you endure even a sliver of what you've done to me, and yet, as the opportunity presents itself…" the hero said, lowering his weapon as he finished, "I don't feel the need to."

The Bulblin seemed to let out a relieved sigh until Link grasped his cowl even tighter and warned, "I will not kill you on this day, but I swear to the Goddesses, if you don't keep your word and maintain true to being my ally in this fight, I will not hesitate to end you."

"I swear to it," the king blurted immediately, "The Bulblins will be your friends in this battle. I will see to it that they are all aware to aid you however they can from here on out."

"They better, or I will end them, too."

"They will listen to me. We Bulblins are not such evil, mindless creatures as you would think. We were simply doing what was necessary to stay alive."

Link scoffed, "I will believe it when I see it."

Just then, King Bulblin grabbed a shining key that had been dangling from his hip and held it out to the hero, "This is the key to get into the castle. Take it and bring him down."

Link examined it a moment before releasing his firm grip on the ogre, snatching it out of his green, sweaty hands and saying, "Get out of my sight before I change my mind about staying my blade."

He nodded without a word, called upon his mount, Lord Bullbo, and took off. Link watched as the barrier diminished and his lifelong nemesis rode off, living to see another day.

He couldn't help but wonder if he had made the right decision. He had spent so many years wanting nothing more than to avenge his parents' deaths, and just then, he had their murderer right in the palms of his hands… right at the end of his blade, his life just dangling before him, begging to be ended. But… he chose not to.

Was it the correct choice? He had no idea.

Was it a smart choice? Maybe…

Was it the choice of a hero who is expected to always do the right thing? Probably.

He didn't know why, but staying his hand just seemed like the right thing to do. He had no idea if the Bulblin king would keep his word about actually aiding him in battle or not, but he did honestly believe that he would not come after him or his loved ones ever again. He felt like he could understand and relate to the king's fear in the universal terror that was Ganondorf, even if he still despised the filthy creature with every fiber of his being.

Even though he was still unsure of his choice, he felt good about it. He just prayed he wouldn't come to regret it later.

* * *

_**True courage is not about knowing when to take a life, but when to spare one.**_

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**A/N:** Yes, that last quote was from The Hobbit - it just fits perfectly!

So, I've been excited for the King Bulblin fight for, like, ever. This fight and the upcoming Ganondorf fight I've actually had written for a long time, and whenever I would get a new idea I would simply add onto it, so it's basically been building since the beginning and I hope you guys love it just as much as I do.

I want to mention this a second time since we'll be seeing Ganon very soon and because a couple of people have critiqued me for it in reviews... I am well aware that Twilight Princess is on the child split on the official timeline, and that in this particular branch the Link from Ocarina of Time was actually only known for telling the king about Ganondorf before he could do what he _actually_ did in the adult timeline. However, I, personally, think this is extremely silly for the story of Twilight Princess. In TP, everyone is constantly telling Link how his deeds remind them of the ancient hero (Renado, the Resistance, literally everyone), and if the OoT Link was honestly only known for telling the king about Ganondorf beforehand, what would they be saying Link's deeds were like? What kind of compliment would that be? "Yes, Link, your amazing feats in saving lives and being awesome remind me of that little boy all those years ago who warned the king about some bad guy!" No! Can't we all agree that that just doesn't work for TP? I sure hope so, because I said this in an author's note before, but I will say it again: in this story, the ancient hero is known for _really doing_ all of his heroic deeds and bringing down Ganon. This not only gives the two Links the connection they're supposed to have, but it makes the story much more dynamic. So, don't get all picky when Ganondorf remembers Link's predecessor in the upcoming battle, mmkay? I'm sorry if it bugs you, but it works for TP's story; I promise I know what I am doing, everyone. You guys should know by now that you can trust me!

Pretty, pretty please don't forget to review! The next chapter will probably be up just as quick because I am SO unbelievably excited to take down Ganon! I know I'm ready for it, are you? ;)

Review, fave, alert - go crazy! Love you all!


	58. Ascension

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 4/7/14 - Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

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**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 58: Ascension

**.:.**

"Are… you okay?" the sudden voice cut through the tension in the air like a knife.

Link jumped at the unexpected sound, but said nothing.

His friends approached him warily, but he didn't even glance at them. His body was shaking and he was sweating profusely. He was covered in mud that the rain was slowly washing away, and overall he just looked… worn.

A gentle hand on his uninjured shoulder followed by a soothing voice awoke him from his daydream, "He's gone, Link," his father stated, "You defeated him."

Link turned slowly and looked up at him, an expression of confusion on his features as he reiterated strangely, "He's gone…"

Ashei furrowed her brow, stepping closer to him as she asked, "You said that guy… killed your parents, yeah?" she paused, debating within herself how to word her next question without sounding too cold, "Why'd you let him go?"

He glanced over at her then down at his bloody sword, tightening his grip around the hilt before answering simply, "He wasn't worth it."

Rusl lowered his hand to that of his son's that was tightly wrapped around the Master Sword's handle, gesturing to him that it was okay – the battle with his parents' murderer was over, both the physical and the emotional.

Placing a hand on the hero's other shoulder, Shad stated, "That was truly a commendable action, old chap. To spare the life of the one who has tormented you for years… I know that could not have been easy."

"Do you think he'll keep his word?" Ashei asked.

Link returned his sword to its scabbard and looked the young girl in the eyes with a blank expression before answering, "I honestly don't know. I have to believe he will. If he doesn't…" he shrugged, "Maybe I didn't make the right choice."

"I think you did," Auru chimed in, "I did not have the pleasure of knowing your parents… but I believe they would be proud of what you've done here. I know I would if you were my son."

"They _would_ be proud," Rusl said, "Even though you didn't take his life, you avenged their deaths by at last putting an end to his ways. You avenged them by cutting him down to size and finally closing that chapter of your life. _I_ am proud of you, my son."

Link turned to him and gave a genuine smile and a nod to signify his thanks before silence befell the group. They all simply stood, the rain pattering down upon them, the moment still kind of hanging in the air.

The hero lifted the key that was in his right hand and examined it before speaking up at last while glancing between each of his companions in turn, "This should open the door to the castle."

Rusl nodded, "Let us see."

Taking their time as their muscles were beginning to feel the first onsets of fatigue, they finally made their way back to the front, central courtyard before the enormous castle. The others stood back as the hero glanced down at the key in his hand before gradually placing it in the lock. He held it there momentarily, a very small part of him almost hoping it wouldn't work. He swallowed his fear and turned the key, a distinct clicking sound reaching his ears as the door unlocked. He retrieved the key, placed it in his pocket, and jostled the door only a bit to test if it was truly opened. It budged, signifying that the key had worked, but he did not open it all the way yet – he wasn't quite ready.

He stood facing the door, his back to his friends as they watched him take in slow, deep breaths in an obvious attempt to calm himself.

Ashei noticed his apprehension and broke the bitter silence, "You're a badass, Link," she stated with a smirk, "I've never seen anyone fight like you."

She could hear him give a quiet laugh as he reached up and scratched the back of his neck. He turned to face them, gestured to his father, and replied, "I had a good teacher."

Rusl quickly shook his head with a chuckle, "Oh, no, no, no, I cannot take credit for your level of skill. It's plain to see that raw, natural talent mixed with a great amount of experience are the reasons for your level of expertise."

The hero smiled and hung his head in embarrassment before Ashei added, "All I'm saying is… I've got no doubt in my mind after watching you fight the last few hours that you can take this guy down, Link. You've got what it takes, for sure."

Link perked up at her compliment, knowing full well that she did not hand them out lightly.

"She's right, old boy," Shad interjected, "In all the books I've read in my years on the hero of legends, I feel as if those historians could have been referring to you. Comparing what is known of that hero and what I know of you, I see no difference. You are _the_ hero, Link, the one who will usher our kingdom into an era of peace. There is no question."

Auru gave a slight chuckle, "If you recall, Link… Ashei, Shad, and myself were not very kind to you when we first met," he began, resulting in nostalgic laughter from the rest of the group as they were all very clearly able to remember, "It was unfortunate that we were so quick to judge. We were skeptical of this youth parading around in the tunic of Hyrule's famous Hero of Time, and we all basically took you for a simple, good-natured _boy_, nothing more. I regret it now, as I'm sure they do as well. If only we had known at the time that we were insulting the hero that would save us all. How very humbling it is, wouldn't you say?" he asked, turning to his two young friends.

"Indeed," Shad replied sincerely.

"Very," Ashei nodded.

Link knew what they were doing, and he didn't like it. He knew it came from a good place, and he knew they were only trying to give him confidence and make him feel better, but they were also saying their goodbyes. They were giving these speeches and words of encouragement because they knew what he was walking into. These were their final words for just in case the battle was to go ill. He appreciated it and hated it at the same time.

Rusl could see from his slight frown and his blank expression that Link did not like where this was going. The older man stepped forward and placed both of his hands on his son's shoulders, gaining his full, undivided attention before beginning.

"This is not goodbye. You _will_ face down Ganon, you _will _defeat him, and you _will _live a long, prosperous life once it's all finally over. You are strong, courageous, and tough as nails. You are not invincible, but I do believe that you can overcome whatever the Goddesses throw at you. You need only pace yourself, respect your limits, and fight with your brain, not your anger. But most of all, Link… give him hell."

"Yeah!" Ashei threw in enthusiastically.

Rusl stood back and gave him a warm smile as he finished, "I believe in you, son, as we all do."

Suddenly, the sounds of monsters screeching in the distance could be heard, and the four Resistance members quickly drew their weapons.

"Go, Link," he said with a nod to the door, "We will defend the town with our lives; it is up to you to do the rest of it. Go, my boy. This fight is ours. Your fight lies ahead."

And with that, they were off, the two opposing sides meeting before the large, wooden doors that separated Castle Town from the castle courtyard. Even though they were only Bokoblins, their numbers were great, and Link knew he had to hurry – and he had to be triumphant.

He didn't waste another moment contemplating it. He swung the grand doors open in a flash, and took only two steps in before the sight he beheld immobilized him abruptly.

For what felt like days, he found himself unable to move. All he could do was stare at the splendor before him. The ornate, massive doors finally slammed shut behind him and nearly forced his heart out of his chest, but how he felt afterwards was almost… indescribable.

It was now completely and utterly silent. The tall, heavy doors blocked out all of the sound he could hear only moments ago of the battle being waged outside. He could no longer hear the battle cries of the Resistance, the harsh shrieking of the Bokoblins, the rainfall – nothing.

The grand hall that stood before him was nothing short of eerie. Duel curving staircases stood before him, long, red, velvet runners trailing up the both of them in perfect synchronization. Hanging from the white, stone ceiling was an enormous chandelier, its grandeur matching that of this imposing foyer. The jewels that dangled from its gold links rattled against one another just ever so slightly from a desolate breeze that blew through the vacant chamber.

It was cavernous. It was massive, empty, and devoid of life. He felt so miniscule, so insignificant in this grand hall, like a tiny guppy in a great ocean, and he couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that he didn't belong here.

He took a single, tense step forward, and instantaneously halted again when the simple sound of his boot was magnified times a thousand. He looked down at the ivory and caramel colored marble that adorned the cold floors, looking all around as he could almost _see_ the single clicking sound of his boot reverberating off of the ground and the matching, lofty walls of this vestibule. It echoed and echoed until it sounded like a mighty roar, and then it was gone, and again all he could hear were his nervous breaths over the suffocating stillness.

It was chillingly cold, even more so considering the hero was drenched from the rain. Not only was the temperature cold, the atmosphere was just as cold, too, or maybe even more so. It was a strange thought to realize that this was supposed to be a busy place, filled with bustling handmaidens, butlers, officials, and royals, and yet, as he stood here now… it was just so _empty_… so _lonely_.

Above all else, this place made him feel more alone than he had ever felt before. He felt as if he could scream and no one would hear him, and yet, he felt so on edge that he wouldn't dare scream for fear of what could be hiding around any given corner. The deafening silence was a great deal of what made it so intimidating. It felt like his every move, his every _breath_, could be heard from anywhere within the castle, and he had no idea the manner of creatures that awaited him in here.

"It's so…" his shadow suddenly whispered.

He simply stood, completely frozen, and said not a word.

When he didn't fill in the blank like she had expected him to, she finished it herself, "…Creepy."

He was still quiet, his eyes almost glazed over.

"Hey, you okay?" Midna questioned, moving to hover directly in front of him.

He shook his head briskly in an attempt to bring himself out of his stupor, "Yeah, I'm alright. Just kind of… I don't know. Feels weird to be here, I guess."

"I know what you mean."

"Will you, um," he tried, pausing briefly as he gained the courage to ask her, "Will you stay beside me, not just in my shadow? This place has me feeling…"

"Lonely?" she offered.

"Yeah."

"Of course I will," she smiled, "After all, this is it, you know. This is the last place we have to make our way through. You ready?"

He nodded, his initial uneasiness about this place slowly dissolving, "I'm _so_ ready, Midna. I'm so ready to be done with all of this. I think the first thing I'm going to do once my life is mine again is go sit in the hot spring in Kakariko for at least a week straight."

The imp couldn't help but giggle; it was good to hear him sound optimistic. Even if he hadn't consciously meant to talk about his future, that at least meant that his subconscious was beginning to anticipate a future again, and that was what was important.

He began making his way up the large staircase, every sound he made from the clicking of his boots to the ruffling of his tunic echoing through the hollow corridor. He ran his hand along the white, granite banister as he went, a thin film of dust sticking to his fingers once he released. Once at the top, he made the quick decision of entering the first, central door, and he was greeted with a not so welcoming guest.

As soon as he crossed the threshold, a Darknut presented itself with a wide, sweeping slash of its sword. Link gasped in surprise, but grabbed his partner and ducked just in time. Once they were safe from the initial blow, Midna flew high overhead to avoid the battle, watching over her hero like a hawk.

Link recalled bitterly how the fight against the first Darknut in the Temple of Time had transpired, and how it had sliced mercilessly across the hero's chest. He would be more careful this time, he told himself; at least he now knew this enemy's tactic.

He jumped right into the battle with haste, starting off with a bang as he hacked away at his adversary's front like mad. Even though most of the hits were successfully guarded, the hero had at least managed to wear the knight out. Taking its moment of respite to his advantage, he quickly ducked and rolled behind the Darknut, slicing fiercely as he leapt to his feet. The enemy wailed in anger, and Link knew that it was going to whirl around as fast as it could, and he was ready. He bashed it punitively in the head with his shield just as it turned to face him, stunning the demon momentarily and giving Link the opportunity to stab it clean through the heart.

The Darknut recoiled, collapsed to its knees, and was eradicated.

"Geez, Link, could you have made that look any easier?" Midna teased as she rejoined him.

Link gave her a crooked smile, but it was true, the fight had been easy. He wasn't sure if it was because that fiend had simply been far inferior to the one Link fought back in the temple of the past, or if he had truly grown as a warrior that much.

He decided to go with the former.

With that out of the way, Link was able to take in his surroundings. This room was filled with suits of armor, lit torches, and various flags and tapestries lined the walls. The floors were just as cold and shiny, but these marble tiles displayed various geometric shapes. Triangles, squares, and rectangles of the hue of hazelnuts danced upon a cream colored backdrop. A single, wide staircase was in the center of this room. It was much shorter than the previous – approximately only one fourth the size – and it had no handrails along it, but it was still regal to behold.

At the top of this flight of stairs, he found that he could either take the path to the left, or the path to the right. That was when he began to really fret over the honest possibility of getting lost in this colossal structure.

"Which way should we go?" he inquired.

She shrugged, "Follow your gut."

That wasn't very helpful, he thought, but he followed her advice nonetheless. He had always preferred the left side of things, as it were, and so that was the direction he chose.

He found himself going down a dark, cold hallway, only to come to a doorway which led to another dark, cold hallway. He could make out an exit at the far end which was surrounded by ignited candles, but the path there was almost too dark to see through. He decided to just run for it, and when he did, a sudden, startling group of Keese descended upon him in a flurry. After the initial shock and lots of crazed swatting, he struck them all down and headed for the door.

What he found on the other side were two heavily armored Lizalfos standing at the opposite end of the long hall. They spotted him instantly and ran for him with haste, their hefty, metal axes held at the ready. He withdrew his blade and leapt forward to meet them with a snarl. He was quick to notice that, even though these beasts were intelligently guarded, their middles were completely open. He faked them out by pretending to jump in between them, causing them to swing prematurely as he backflipped out of the way and lunged forward as they were recovering from their missed swipes, stabbing the first one directly through its unprotected belly.

It screeched loudly in pain before falling to the ground with a thud, its companion immediately growing livid. Link had not fought these creatures much at all during his journey, but it was obvious that they were much smarter than most of the mindless fiends he encountered often like the Bulblins and Bokoblins. It proved this by holding its shield right in front of its stomach from then on out, not allowing the hero to exploit its opening like he had the former. What the giant lizard did not account for, however, was the fact that its neck was still left completely exposed, and it just begged to be cut into.

Link ducked as the beast flailed its hatchet wildly above his head, and he responded with a bash from his Hylian Shield to the brute's face. It stumbled back, giving him the opportunity to slice deeply into the creature's neck. It gurgled and fell to the ground on its back with a yelp, and Link followed it to the floor with a leap and ended it with the Master Sword embedded in its chest.

He picked himself up off of the now-dead fiend, getting to his feet with a huff as he sheathed his blade. Midna gave him an approving nod as she rejoined her hero at his side. He noticed then that he had another two choices as to how to move forward. There was again a door to his left and a door to his right, and he chose the left.

When he crossed the threshold, he found himself on a high balcony above a grand, regal ballroom. There were multiple elaborate chandeliers in this majestic chamber, and the hard marble floors seemed to shine as if they were scrubbed and waxed only moments ago. The eerie quiet carried into this vast hall, and it chilled Link to the very core. He imagined great, royal parties with bureaucrats and monarchs dressed immaculately as they danced to a stunning orchestra, the string and wind instruments' cadences and crescendos reverberating harmoniously off the stone walls. Now, it was silent, but if he listened very closely, he could almost _hear_ the cheerful laughter of the royalty and the melodies of the musicians haunting this hallowed hall.

It touched a nerve in him, and he quickly turned back.

He retraced his steps, returning to the top of the previous grand stair, deciding to travel down the path he had originally chosen against. On this wing of the castle, long, blue colored runners trailed through the hallways as opposed to the previous red. He didn't understand why they were different, but he wasn't left time to contemplate it as another pair of Lizalfos came at him from across the way. Luckily, these two beasts were not armored like their formers, and Link knew this would be all too easy.

He moved in with haste to ensure that he got the first strike. He carved a clean, diagonal line across the first beast. It howled and staggered back, but it was not done in. He reached up and blocked an attack from the second with the flat of his blade, noticing that the first was preparing for a swing. With all his strength, he knocked the second down with a swift kick to the gut before turning to the first and decapitating it so rapidly that its shocked expression remained on its face as it was dismembered. He knelt down and picked up the first fiend's blunt machete as the second began recovering. Link turned and headed for the door, giving the creature the false idea that it had won. Just as it stumbled to its feet and started charging at the hero's back, he turned around on his heel and chucked the spare weapon straight at the last remaining enemy, piercing it directly in the heart before it tumbled to the ground lifelessly.

The room beyond that door was a long, curving hallway, giving Link the disadvantage of not being able to see what lay in wait on the opposite end. This narrow corridor had the same sprawling, indigo rug as the previous, and its walls were adorned with coats of arms, spears, swords, and suits of armor. The white, stone walls felt almost suffocating as very little light filtered in through the sparse, miniscule windows that almost touched the ceiling.

He ran through the chamber at an even speed, desperate to just get through this place and get to Ganon as quickly as possible. As he rounded the soft curve of the hallway, he laid eyes upon _two_ Darknuts awaiting his arrival. His heart skipped a beat, knowing full well that this was no meager foe, and now he had to take on two at a time.

He motioned for Midna to hover high above the room to avoid the skirmish as he brandished his weapon and dove in despite his initial fear. The pair instantly readied themselves as well, crouching with soft knees as they both raised their swords high and held their guards before them almost in perfect coordination. He mimicked them for a solid minute, debating in his mind just how he was going to go about this. His very first battle with the Darknut in the Temple of Time had been a close one, and even though the second and last one he had just encountered was not a terribly difficult battle, these creatures were still very formidable foes that the hero knew would always put up a good fight.

A sudden, wide swing of a mighty sword from the first adversary forced Link to quickly backflip out of harm's way, and just as he was about to lunge in for an attack, the second did the same thing, forcing him to hastily jump out of the line of fire again. He huffed, spinning his sword once in his hand, no longer waiting for one of them to make the first move. He sprung forward with a sweeping horizontal strike, but the first instantly guarded with its shield while the second blocked the swing with its own blade, emitting a loud metal clang as the two steels met. With the hero's weapon pinned and his focus centered on the one doing so, the other moved in for the assault.

The first bashed its heavy guard against the hero's skull punitively, causing him to crumble to the ground. His head was spinning so aggressively that he hadn't even realized initially that he had fallen to the cold floor. Doubles of everything danced before his eyes, and a splitting migraine nestled itself in his forehead. He shook it off as quickly as he could, and he noticed a descending blade as soon as his vision cleared. He hastily rolled out of the way, getting to his feet with a bit of a stumble as his equilibrium was still adjusting itself.

With the first still recovering from its missed swing, the second came at him with its weapon at the ready. Link quickly reached up and brought the Master Sword to bear. The Darknut was strong, and it was pushing down upon him with all its strength, hoping to reduce the hero to his knees in which he could be ended. Link gritted his teeth, summoning the power to overcome this monster. The tables quickly turned, and Link then had the upper hand. He pushed the first back with all his might just as the second was approaching him out of the corner of his eye.

Knowing he didn't have time to spare, he sliced as rapidly as he could into the slightly staggered first Darknut; it was mostly unfazed, but it was still hurt enough to give Link the time he needed to end the second. Just as it was readying a powerful strike, Link ducked down and rolled behind his foe, confusing it just long enough to drive his blade deep into the monster's back. It fell to its knees before collapsing on the marble floor, and the first came at him again.

Link knew that these fiends were intelligent, but he never expected just how much. The Darknut performed a move that the hero himself took a liking to enacting often, but he still didn't see it coming. The armored rival lunged to the left, forcing Link to react in that same direction. However, he quickly altered course and moved to the right, but by then the hero was already swinging to the other side. The squandered swing made him stumble forward, and the Darknut used this opportunity to lash powerfully across Link's middle.

He grunted as he staggered back and instinctively looked down at himself, expecting to see a flowing pool of blood now drenching his clothes. What he saw instead was a long, horizontal rip in his tunic, but still very much intact chainmail underneath. The strike was still painful, to say the least, but it at least was not fatal, similar to his first encounter with the Darknut in the past.

Link looked up at his adversary and smirked, knowing that the fiend's shock could be perfectly utilized to his advantage. He leapt forward and plunged his blade into the monster's chest so fast that it hadn't even seen it coming. It toppled to the floor only a second later.

"You had me scared there for a minute," his shadow admitted as she descended to be beside him, "You okay?"

He nodded as he returned his sword to its scabbard, "Yeah, I'm fine."

He hastened for the door, and once he stepped inside, almost all the grandeur of the previous sections of the castle was forgotten. This room was dilapidated; the floor was cracked, the wallpaper was peeling off, and when he made his way to a staircase in the corner, large parts of it were missing entirely. He didn't understand – he knew he was getting higher, and getting higher must mean getting closer to Ganon, but why would the castle be crumbling away? Had Ganon's mindless minions done this out of destructive behavior? Or had the evil king done it himself to prevent anyone from reaching him?

He began making his way across it, leaping over deep, vast chasms that led to Din only knows where as he went. He looked up when he began feeling raindrops showering down on him, and he noticed that parts of the ceiling were missing as well. The lightning struck brightly as he returned to his task, signifying that the storm was intensifying.

Two more Lizalfos awaited him at the top of the rundown stairwell, but their backs were to him and they were unarmored. He approached quietly and he was able to easily dispatch of them both in a single, lethal swing before they even knew what hit them.

When he reached the stairs that they had been standing at the bottom of, however, he was ready to take the previous stairs back; this staircase was almost entirely gone, making the former seem like a walk in the park. He glanced around the decrepit hall, searching for a way across as there was simply no way he could bridge these enormous gaps by jumping. That was when he spotted wall mounted candlesticks with iron gratings covering them, and he got a crazy idea.

He withdrew his clawshots and aimed at the farthest one that he knew the chain could reach. He pulled back the trigger and the force yanked him forward, but it was successful. The strain on his injured shoulder was agonizing, even Midna could tell from his apparent grimace, but he continued on, latching back and forth across the wall until he was safely on the other side.

Another pair of lizard beasts met him here, and he wasted no time in running up and stabbing the first clear through the heart. The second, however, had seen him coming, but Link didn't realize this. Just as he was about to turn around and end the second fiend, he saw a sharp axe only inches from his face before the monster was flung harshly across the room. He turned to see his partner with her hair hand extended and a determined look on her face as she watched the creature fly.

It hit the wall with a whimper and a loud thump as Midna said, "That was a little too close, Link."

"You're telling me," he gulped, "Thank you."

She nodded in response and he went to the final staircase with haste. This one was even worse than the previous two; it was almost missing entirely, nothing but an empty void filling this hall. He noticed there were no candelabras in this stairwell, but he did spot a groove in either side of the wall that he was almost positive his spinner would fit into.

He smirked as he pulled out the rarely used tool, excited to take it for a spin again – pun intended. That was, at least, until he realized that if he messed up and didn't jump correctly or if he didn't gain enough momentum he would fall into the chasm. He swallowed hard, suppressing the fear as he just went for it.

He backed up and got a running start, dropping the spinner to the ground and jumping on it at the last second. At first, he rode at top speed, making the first and second jump as the railing tapered off successfully. As he climbed higher, however, he started to slow down.

"Come on, come on, come on…" he mumbled under his breath, cursing the contraption.

By now, it was coming to a slow but inevitable stop, and he knew what he had to do. He jumped with all the force of the muscles in his legs, his arms outstretched to catch the land. He just barely caught on with his hands, wincing a bit as his lower body smacked harshly against the side of the stone stair and as the rugged edge jabbed into his already cut open palm. He looked down, watching in dismay as his spinner tumbled into the darkness. He looked back up and saw Midna extending her hair hand to him. He took it, and she helped him up with ease.

"Hope I won't be needing that anytime soon," he muttered, staring down the void as he got to his feet and dusted himself off with a heavy sigh.

"Hey, Link, look," he heard her whisper from a bit farther ahead.

He turned to her as she was motioning for him to come closer. She was peering around the corner and once he did the same, he caught sight of a nasty looking Darknut. It seemed to almost have more armor on than all the others that came before it, and it stood guarding a massive, lavish set of double doors. A knot formed in the hero's stomach as he realized where that surely led, and he most certainly did _not_ feel like fighting another one of these gruesome foes again.

Midna knew this, and proposed, "If I distract big ugly over there long enough, think you can sneak up and get him in the back?"

Link looked at her worriedly, "I don't know how I feel about you getting close to that guy."

"I won't get too close, okay? Besides, I think I've proven that I can handle myself should the worst happen," she said with a smirk.

He sighed and gave a half-smile of his own as he gave in, "Alright, fine."

"As soon as his back's to you, run up and get him. Got it?"

He nodded, and she was off. She flew directly in front of the Darknut's face, gaining its attention immediately. It swung its mighty sword down in her direction, but she quickly darted out of the way. She hovered up and down, side to side, almost taunting the intimidating enemy. It was obviously growing angry with its increasingly fast and sporadic movements, so Link hurried.

He crouched down low and made his way over to them as silently as he could. He held his blade at the ready, and with only a few feet left to go, the Darknut whirled around, waving its heavy sword as it did so. The sudden shock sent the hero backward, falling to the ground with a surprised 'oomph' as he just barely missed being struck again.

Just as the armored creature was about to bring its weapon down upon Link, he could see Midna readying her hair hand behind it. However, the Darknut noticed this too. It spun back around, attempting to hit the imp but she hovered out of the way just in time. Link hastened to his feet, knowing that this was his opportunity.

He plunged the Master Sword into the monster's back ferociously. It bellowed, but it wriggled and tried desperately to turn back around and enact its revenge. That was when Link pushed his blade in with even more force, not letting up until the tip came out the Darknut's front, twisting the steel around a bit before withdrawing it, and the troublesome brute was downed.

Midna released a heavy exhale as she sank to the floor, "Nice job."

Link did just the same, "You too."

They were silent for a moment, catching their breath and coming to terms with the fact that they both knew exactly what lay in wait for them behind the very next door. Link stared at it intently, the insignia of the Goddesses and the Triforce etched into the stone as clear as day. The door was tall, sprawling from floor to ceiling and at least ten to fifteen feet in width. It was fitting, he supposed, that such a grand, intimidating doorway should lead to such a grand, intimidating adversary.

He didn't say anything, and neither did she. Neither one knew what to say, mostly because it had all been said before. They both knew this was it, they both knew they had to do this, and they both knew that this was the fight to determine the world's fate. There was no sense in repeating it, as they had discussed it already time and time again. It had felt real then, but now… it felt _terrifyingly_ real.

There was no more, '_once we do this, we can face Ganon_!' Or, '_once we defeat this, we can face Ganon_!' There was nothing standing between them now. Nothing… except for an extravagant door.

After an uneasy quiet that felt like it had taken up the whole day all on its own, Midna turned to her hero, instantly reading him like a book. He was afraid, she could see that clear as day, but she could also see that he was determined.

She knew they couldn't waste any more time, and decided to break the prolonged silence, "You ready?"

He turned to her, "I am. Are you?"

She nodded, "Yes."

Without another word, he got to his feet, brushed himself off, and approached the massive door. This was it, he couldn't help but remind himself again. This was it. It's all led up to this. Everything he had done up until this point was moot – this was the reason for all of his suffering, his agony, his heartache, all of it.

This was the reason for everything he had done in the past year.

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, holding it for quite some time before releasing it slowly. He opened his eyes, and gave a firm nod to no one but himself. He would do this, and he would succeed. He would finish it at last.

He was ready to be done.

Placing the palms of his hands on the cool stone, he pressed in and then upwards with all of his strength, forcing open the vertical door with a huff. He crossed the threshold and the heavy door slammed shut behind him.

He was outside now, and the storm had picked up. Thunder boomed loudly in the distance and lightning illuminated the dusky, grey sky. It was so dark that he couldn't even tell what time of day it was. The clouds that swirled around this tall tower were almost entirely black, an evil magic clearly at work here, and it was affecting the whole of Hyrule. Everything and everyone in the land was affected by what was happening right here, right now. What would happen to the world if he failed?

He breathed slowly one last time before ascending the final set of stairs that led up to a huge, open archway. A long, royal blue runner led straight through this room up to the throne. Tall columns were perfectly lined along the sides of the massive chamber, and the same harmony of marble and stone that was throughout the castle covered the walls, floors, and ceiling here. It was disturbingly quiet at first, the only sound being that of the rushing gales just outside.

The statues of the Goddesses that sat above the throne were now destroyed, the once beautiful depictions of the three golden deities lying in ruins across the floor. When he heard Midna gasp abruptly at his side, he glanced over and followed her line of sight, and what he saw caught his breath. Princess Zelda was hovering high above the throne room in the middle of the statue of the Triforce in an unconscious state. Her brow was tightened on her porcelain face, and it seemed to Link as if she could sense what was happening around her even though she was not awake.

He wanted to rush to her, not even thinking clearly in the moment enough to realize that he could not reach her, but he attempted it anyway. Midna instantly held him back with a simple raise of her arm, and it stopped him immediately, the look on her face rendering him motionless; he knew that unbridled look of resentment. He turned to see what she was seeing, and that was when he saw it. That was when he saw _him_.

That was when he saw Ganondorf.

He simply smiled a disconcerting smile and said, "Welcome to my castle."

* * *

_**The hero's ascent was not only a physical climb, but a mental one.**_


	59. The Great King of Evil

**A/N: **_This chapter was revised as of 4/7/14 - Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 59: The Great King of Evil

**.:.**

"_Welcome to my castle."_

The statement was simple and his voice was low, and yet it held a power that rivaled that of the thunder roaring on the other side of the walls. Those four, simple words sent a shiver down the hero's spine. His voice was deep and commanding, his tone was strong and terrifying, and his word choice… '_my castle_'… was sickening.

He sat upon the throne, as if it was a position he had earned, one that he was worthy of, and it was almost as if he had appeared out of thin air; Link did not see anyone there when he had entered.

Ganon laughed, and there went another chill. If Link had come here not knowing who this man was or what he was capable of, he was sure, without a doubt, that he would _still_ be outright frightened. This man held such a power at his disposal that you could hear it dripping off his every word, his every sound, and you could see it in his every expression, from something as simple as a twitch of his brow to a sinister smirk. Everything about this man commanded your attention, and Link found himself so petrified that he couldn't have moved at that moment if he wanted to, nor could he have spoken if he wanted to.

Luckily, he had Midna who took the initiative, "So you're… Ganondorf."

He laughed again, and Link was starting to feel sick to his stomach. It was a quiet, threatening chuckle, as if he was whole-heartedly entertained in watching mere _children_ attempt something that was not feasible. The Gerudo king stood slowly from the red, velvet throne, his massive blade in his hands and his long cape billowing behind him.

He took one single step forward, and Link's heart nearly leapt out of his chest. He stopped still and looked down his nose at the intruders, a single, authoritative, '_hmm_,' leaving his dark lips. All the hero could do was stare. All the stories he had heard had gotten the man's appearance correct, but none had even touched on his paralyzing voice or his chilling presence. They mentioned that his hair was the color of blood, his skin was as dark as ashes, and his eyes were the color of the golden Triforce, but no one mentioned that his deep, commanding tone was enough to still the very beating of your heart, or that his dominating, ominous presence was enough to render you unable to move.

"I've been _dying_ to meet you," Midna chanced with a wide grin. It surprised Link how bold and audacious she was acting, and he wasn't entirely sure that riling the dark lord was the best route to take.

Ganondorf took a few more strides forward, the metal clanking of his armor resonating throughout the hall before he replied, "Your people have long amused me, Midna. To defy the gods with such petty magic only to be cast aside… How very pathetic."

He laughed again, and Link's initial shock was beginning to melt into anger, but the fear still lingered.

"Pathetic as they were, though, they served me well. Their anguish was my nourishment," he clenched his fist, the sound of his leather glove crinkling together from the force seeming like cannon fire in this quiet room, "Their hatred bled across the void and awakened me. I drew deep of it and grew strong again."

Midna scowled at the insults toward her people, but she remained justly silent.

The wicked king leered, taking a couple steps to the side but never losing eye contact as he went on, "Your people had some skill, to be sure… but they lacked true power."

He then glanced up towards the unconscious Hylian princess and said, "The kind of absolute power those chosen by the gods wield."

After a moment, he laughed and turned back to the hero and the Twilight Princess. He raised his right fist, displaying the sacred triangle upon his hand and stating with a malevolent smile, "He who wields such a power would make a suitable king for this world, don't you think?"

"Ha! Such conceit," Midna spoke up, "But if you are one of the chosen wielders of power as you claim… I will risk everything to deny you!"

He gave a dark, sardonic chuckle once again before saying, "Shadow has been moved by light, it seems… How amusing."

His wide, unbridled grin at that moment made the hero's blood run cold; he knew right then that it was about to begin.

"Very well. Deny me, then!" he exclaimed, "Yes, try to deny me… You and your _little_ friend…"

When his gaze returned to that of Zelda and he extended his arm in her direction, Midna instantly knew what he was going to do. She gasped, quickly flying up toward the princess.

"Midna, no!" Link shouted, reaching out to her, but he knew it was no use.

The imp hovered up high and placed herself before the helpless princess in an attempt to shield her from whatever Ganon was going to throw at her. He simply smirked, the action not instilling any bit of hesitation in him at all. He then vanished into dozens of Twili particles that zoomed skyward and right into the princess. Midna closed her eyes as she expected to take the brunt of it, but when she reopened them, she realized sorely that she was unsuccessful.

She spun around, knowing that the dark specks that were Ganon had flooded into the princess. She knew she should have ended it then, attacked while she was still unconscious – it would have been too easy! But she couldn't bring herself to do it; she couldn't harm the princess, especially Zelda who had given Midna her everything to save her… Even if Ganondorf _was_ possessing her, how could she look into her innocent face and strike her down?

She sighed when she realized she couldn't do it, and she knew she had failed both Zelda and Link. She placed her tiny hand on the princess' cheek, but as soon as she made contact, Zelda's eyes flung open. Midna gasped as she gazed into two evil, golden eyes that most certainly did _not_ belong to the princess. Midna screamed as she was suddenly and unexpectedly tossed across the room without even so much as a flick of the wrist from the crazed Zelda. Link watched her fall and shouted her name, instantaneous fear gripping his heart as he darted after her. Before he could reach her, a magical barrier was erected, barring the exit where his partner was just thrown.

He snarled in anger, grasping the hilt of the Master Sword so firmly that his knuckles turned white. He glanced around frantically, searching for his enemy. He whirled around in a flash when he heard the clicking of heels on the hard floor, and a very malicious looking princess stood before him.

"Both of you, faithless fools who would dare to take up arms against the king of light and shadow…" she laughed, but just as were her words, it was not with her voice. Instead of the calm, soothing, bell-like chimes he had heard from her all those months ago, he now heard the alarming tone of the Gerudo king, and it made him livid, "So you choose. And so you shall feel my wrath!"

With those last words, the princess took to the air. She hovered high above the hero forebodingly, her piercing eyes burning into him relentlessly – _Ganon's_ piercing eyes. She held her blade straight up, forming a ball of magic at its tip before thrusting it towards Link. He quickly jumped to the side and avoided it, but made no moves to harm her.

She then dove straight at him, her sword pointed toward him, ready for the kill. Same as the previous, he leapt out of the way just in time. These same tactics went on for what felt like eternity, but Link just did _not_ know what to do; he did _not_ want to hurt Zelda under any circumstances.

"Link! Do something!" Midna yelled, pounding on the wall that separated them, having regained consciousness only moments ago.

He turned to her, "I can't hurt her, Midna!"

"You won't! Trust me! I thought the same thing, but you won't hurt her, I promise!"

"I- agh!" he tried, but a sudden burst of magic pegged him in the back, sending him to the ground on his stomach as his body convulsed from the electric current coursing throughout it – it was _not_ a feeling he missed.

He hastily turned over onto his back only to see the princess dive-bombing him, sword at the ready. He quickly rolled out of the way and got to his feet as fast as he could. He watched as Zelda laughed with _his_ voice, hovering back and forth as if to be taunting him. Link didn't know what to do. She was too high up for him to attack with his blade, and she was swerving far too haphazardly for him to pin her down with an arrow… What was he to do?

It was when the controlled princess hurled another ball of energy at him and he attempted to block it with his sword only for it to ricochet off that he knew what he was going to do.

He simply waited, ducking and dodging whenever was necessary, until Zelda began to prepare another magic strike. She tossed it his way, and he quickly hit it right as it reached him, flinging it back at her with full force. The electricity engulfed her and the sound of Ganondorf's screams and cries of defeat reached his long ears.

She began descending, her hand outstretched as the magical currents surged throughout her body. Link just prayed that the princess was not feeling this pain. That was when the barrier separating him from his partner dissolved, and he turned to see her donning the Fused Shadows yet again. Worry struck him to the core, but he also knew that she could do it.

Ganon was weakened, even if only slightly; it was clear as Zelda's possessed form writhed on the floor. In an instant, Midna retook the form of the gigantic beast she had become when tearing down Hyrule Castle's entrapment, and she snatched Zelda up within her strong hands and pushed her up against the throne. Link could see the black atoms flying away from her, signifying that Ganon was leaving her body. When Midna released her, she was once again herself. The beautiful princess looked serene sitting upon her throne, and Link heaved a sigh of relief to see that she was okay.

The respite was cut short, however, when the sound of the particles reforming together was heard behind him. He turned around nervously, watching as the black cloud twisted and contorted.

With Midna back to herself, she resumed her position at his side, saying with a grin, "I'm not leaving you this time. Let's do this together."

He smiled in return and gave her a nod before turning back to the scene before them. He watched anxiously, unsure of what was going to happen. The evil king grunted and groaned as the dark cloud took on a different shape, and he assumed an entirely different form. When the shroud dissipated, Link was left staring at a huge monster. This colossal fiend had the same color hair as Ganondorf did when he was a human, and he adorned the very same crown the king wore on his head. He had two large horns near his snout, and he had the resemblance of a pig or a warthog. He reared up, giving Link a full-on glimpse of what he realized would be the brute's weak spot – a massive gash across his middle.

Ganon lunged forward and roared savagely in the hero's face, saliva dripping from his jaw and some of it splattering on Link's shield as he did so. This, Link thought, would be easy. If Ganon had taken on this form to intimidate him, then he was way off. This was the kind of fight he was used to! He had fought so many enemies that were ten times his size by now that he was almost positive nothing like this could faze him at this point.

"Beast against beast?" Midna inquired, holding out the Twilight crystal.

Link nodded with a confident grin, "Beast against beast."

She pressed the stone to her hero's forehead and after a few seconds of pain, he was down on all fours with his partner on his back. Ganon was directly in front of him, kicking back his front legs which, Link knew, meant he was preparing to charge. He hoped Midna noticed this, too.

"Don't worry, I've got this," she whispered.

When the demon broke out into a run, she held out her hair hand and halted him mid-rampage. He pushed against her with every fiber of his being, and he could feel that Midna was pouring all of her power into it just as much. Her muscles tensed up and Link could feel her legs tightening up around his back. She grunted as the struggle persisted for quite some time, both clearly not giving in without a fight, and both clearly of equal strength. With a groan and a strained yell, Midna gave a final, concentrated push and tossed the king aside.

As he fell, he crashed into one of the tall, stone columns and it tumbled down upon him, rendering him momentarily stabilized. Link dove in with haste. He leapt up onto the downed monster's belly and sunk his teeth into his weak spot. He scratched and clawed and bit all at the same time, as rapidly and as frenziedly as he could, hoping to do as much damage in as little amount of time as possible.

When the pig tried to get up, Midna pounded her fist into the side of his skull, bashing his head into the cold ground for a second time, giving her hero _that_ much longer to rip him to shreds. Blood, fur, and flesh embedded into his teeth and gums and wedged underneath his nails as he gave it everything he had, tearing out massive chunks of skin with a disgusted growl. Ganon's wound was openly bleeding now, and Link had clearly taken his toll on the beast.

Ganon unexpectedly leapt up, thrashing about as he went. Link and Midna were thrown from the top of him, but they recovered and stayed their distance as Ganon dashed about madly before he was finally worn down. He collapsed to the ground, a tidal wave of dust erupting from beneath him as he fell – they were victorious.

Midna returned Link to his native form and they both watched silently, unsurely, nervously as Ganon lay motionless surrounded in dark flames. Was that it? It couldn't be… could it?

When dozens of stunning, shining lights suddenly escaped from Midna's body and made their way over to Zelda, Link could only gape in awe. The imp seemed almost just as surprised, gawking just the same as the hero as the sparkles encompassed the Hylian princess before absorbing fully into her. They were almost blinded by the penetrating illumination, both of them blinking and squinting from the intensity.

The princess opened her eyes then, and it was like a heavy weight was lifted from Link's shoulders as he gazed upon her beauty. Everything about her was picturesque, almost as if she came straight out of a fairytale. Her skin was flawless and perfect like fine china, her eyes were deep, sapphire pools that shone like diamonds, and her hair cascaded down her shoulders and her back in waves of warm cocoa and honey like a tranquil waterfall. Her golden tiara sat just above her pointed ears, and her elegant gown fell loosely upon her legs like a delicate brook.

"Pr-Princess…" Midna stuttered, unable to find the words, "I… I…"

"Say nothing, Midna," Zelda said, her eyes finally meeting the imp's for a brief moment before she closed them again, "Your heart and mine were as one, however briefly… Such suffering you both have endured…"

Midna's lip quivered, and Link heard her sniffle at his side. He turned to her and just barely spotted her wiping away a stray tear, but he still didn't understand. What did she mean when she said that their hearts had been as one? Was that how she had saved Midna all those months ago? By… giving her her very essence?

She reopened her eyes and stood tall, obvious years of perfecting her stance and posture evident as her heels clicked on the tile while she approached them, "I cannot thank you both enough for what you have done for my kingdom."

"No, Zelda… _I_ should be thanking _you_. You saved my li-"

The sudden sound of a loud burst of energy instantly took them all by surprise. Midna and Zelda gasped as Link turned abruptly to face whatever was the cause of the disturbance. What they saw before them was a manifestation of the dark flames and the evil magic joining together, the face of Ganondorf displayed clearly within it. The horrifying sight laughed, and the Hylian princess and the Ordonian hero seemed to take a few protective steps back in near unison, neither one knowing what they could possibly do against this new form the evil king had donned. Link's mouth was agape, his mind running rampant as he tried to come up with a way he was going to take down this… _entity_. He now had two princesses to protect, but he had no idea how he was going to go about it.

He swallowed hard in fear, honestly having no clue what he was going to do. Zelda held her gloved hand above her heart directly behind him, knowing that she had no means by which to take down this magical being either. Midna, however, already knew what needed to be done, but she wouldn't let either of them know – they would only try to stop her.

She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply; she knew she had to do this. For Zelda, for Link, for all of the light world that she had grown to adore. They had been so selfless and so unwaveringly giving and considerate to her, and what had she done for them in return? Nothing. She would make it all up now. She would make up for treating Link horribly in the beginning. She would make up for taking everything Zelda had to give. She would make up for her lack of leadership in the past, which could honestly be pinned on the main reason for everything that had happened to both realms.

She would make up for all of it, and if that meant sacrificing herself… so be it.

She called forth the pieces of the Fused Shadow, and Link noticed it out of his peripheral vision. He turned to her in a flash, knowing immediately what she was going to do.

He gasped, "No! Midna, don't!"

He reached out to stop her, but before he could get close enough, he saw her smile and then everything around him suddenly went black. He recognized this feeling – she was transporting them away.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing beside Princess Zelda in the middle of Hyrule Field. They both glanced about frantically, hoping beyond hope to see their friend with them, but she was nowhere to be found. When they realized this, they looked at each other despondently, both of them understanding exactly how the other felt.

Link was scared stiff. He wanted to be angry with her for sending him off and trying to face the king of evil on her own, but he couldn't, he could only feel sheer terror. By the Goddesses… if anything were to happen to her…

Zelda could sense his fear, could feel it radiating off of him like a heavy cologne. Just as she was about to turn to him and give a few words of comfort, something stopped her short.

In the distance, among the storm clouds and the shroud of wickedness, the whole of Hyrule Castle suddenly suffered a massive explosion. Dust, debris, and chunks of the wreckage spewed forth, and Link could literally feel his heart sink into the pit of his stomach. Not only was Midna there, but Rusl was there, Ashei, Shad, Auru, and Telma were there, hundreds of innocent townsfolk were there; there was no way that that eruption was anything short of fatal.

He could hear the princess gasp beside him, and he could tell that she was feeling the same. Although, he was sure her feeling was multiplied by at least ten; that was _her_ castle, _her_ livelihood, _her_ home, _her_ people, and _her_ kingdom, and she had just watched helplessly as it was blown to smithereens.

Both were quiet, as both were speechless. Neither one could express what they were feeling. How does one put such emotions into terms? Sometimes, saying nothing at all speaks louder than words.

When the dust cleared and the distant sound of rocks and ruins crumbling and settling faded away, they both suddenly saw Ganondorf emerging from the smoke. His black stallion rivaled that of the black clouds overhead, its sharp, crimson eyes piercing into the hero even from its distance. The king's long, dark cape flowed wildly in the wind, the rain having lightened up a bit, or perhaps the storm simply hadn't drifted away from the castle just yet. His mighty horse reared up and neighed, and when Ganon lifted his opposite hand high in the air, Link's mind went completely blank.

Midna's helm was clutched in the wicked king's hand. He watched as he crushed it between his disgusting fingers like it was nothing more than a no-longer-desired plaything, the shattered pieces of the Fused Shadow crumbling to the grass in slow motion. His eyes were wide, his blood ran cold, and all manner of color was drained from his face. He thought he heard the princess gasp at his side, but he didn't pay enough attention to know if that was her, him, or if he had just imagined it altogether. He was deaf, he was senseless, and he was blind to all else except for that of the ruins of his companion's headdress lying discarded upon the ground.

She failed. No, _he_ failed. He failed _her_. He should have done something… He should have tried harder to stop her… He should have tried harder!

An anger unlike any he had ever felt before overtook him, and he knew that he no longer cared about what happened to himself – all he cared about was making this evil man pay for everything he had done. He withdrew his blade and tightened his grip around the hilt so hard his fingernails cut into his palm. He tried to lunge forward, but Zelda placed a gentle hand over his to halt him.

He turned to her, a frightening scorn in his eyes. She simply nodded, and yet, he understood.

She closed her eyes and placed her hand over her heart as she called out, "Spirits of the light! Wielders of the great power that shines far and wide upon the lands of our world…"

Time slowed down, and even though Link could feel that Ganon was growing ever closer, he did not take his eyes off of the princess – he somehow _knew_ that they were going to be fine.

"In my hour of need, grant me the light to banish evil!"

And just as they were about to be trampled over, they were gone. In the blink of an eye, Link found himself on an otherworldly plane. A lovely, warm glow surrounded them here, and tranquil, calming waters lapped at their feet. All at once he could suddenly feel the soothing presence of the light spirits. He watched in awe as they each created their own respective arrows - resulting in four in total - of divine light and bestowed them upon Zelda.

"With these arrows… you can overcome the darkness that is Ganondorf," Faron said.

"Take them, princess, and with the hero defeat the evil king," Eldin added.

"Go now, Princess of Destiny and Hero of Twilight. Go now and save Hyrule!" Lanayru finished, and with that, they were gone.

Zelda turned to her hero, but he did not reciprocate her gaze. She studied him for a silent moment, noticing that he was on the verge of breaking down, and she knew it was because of Midna.

"She is incredibly strong-willed," the princess began, "She is brave and she is cunning. I can assure you that she will be alright."

Link looked up at her, tears just daring to escape his lashes, but he held them back. He stared at her perplexedly for a moment, his brow furrowed deeply as he contemplated her words. They had only met on two previous occasions, both of which he had been a wolf during, and yet, there was an inexplicable closeness he felt between them. She had been able to read his thoughts and emotions, and he found himself able to do just the same with her.

"And so will your kingdom," he replied.

The corners of her mouth perked up just ever so slightly, her thin lips desperately wanting to display a smile, but her heart forcing her to refrain. She, too, felt the closeness that Link could feel, but she understood why it was there.

"We are bearers of the sacred Triforce, hero, as I am sure you are already well aware, and as such, we are connected."

He was still, patiently waiting to hear more.

"You can sense it, can you not? The feeling as if we have been at one another's side for eons."

He nodded, "Yes… I can't describe it, but I feel like I've known you my whole life, like… I could tell you anything and you would understand it… Do you feel the same?"

"I do. I am telling you this because it is in a similar manner that Midna and I are connected. We are rulers of opposite worlds, but we have been as one for… quite some time."

Link gave her a confused look, "What do you mean?"

"When you brought her to me, she was near death, and I knew her role was vital to Hyrule's fate. I did the only thing I could to save her… I passed myself, my very essence and my power, unto her, so that she could carry on and fulfill her destiny at your side."

Link glanced down at the ground, the calm waters creating little splashes as they rippled off of his boots.

When she noticed him pondering it, she added, "This is why I can tell you that she will be alright. I can feel her energy even as we speak. You must defeat Ganon, hero, otherwise… I cannot say what will become of her, of us all."

Link gave her a crooked smirk, "You know… my name's not '_hero_,' princess."

"Nor is mine '_princess_,'" she responded seriously.

He almost thought he had offended her until she cracked a miniscule smile of her own.

"You may simply call me Zelda," she curtsied.

"Link," he bowed deeply.

"I am well aware of your name, _hero_, as will many others for years to come. You will be in the great history books of Hyrule, of that I am sure."

He straightened up, smiling a bit at her insistence in calling him _hero_.

He changed the subject, "You really think Midna will be okay?"

She nodded sincerely, "Yes, I do. But I hope that does not lessen your anger."

His eyes narrowed in confusion.

"I hope that does not lessen your hatred towards that wicked man," she elaborated, "I hope that does not lessen your desire to end him."

"Don't you worry about that, princess. Whether Midna is okay or not, he still defeated her, among the countless other things he's done. He _will_ pay, I can assure you of that."

She smiled, "My words do not justify my thanks, chosen hero," she said as she bowed before him, "Thank you…"

He stepped forward and extended his hand to her, indicating that she need not perform such a gesture before him. She looked at his hand a moment, then up at him before returning his smile with one of her own and placing her hand in his.

"Thank _you_, Princess Zelda," he said, referencing to saving the life of his dearest comrade all those months ago.

She nodded, understanding his meaning without even a single word of elaboration.

She closed her eyes and the hero followed suit, and before he knew it, they were back on Hyrule Field. He noticed Ganon atop his fierce steed in the distance, and he knew what he needed to do. He grabbed the horse call Ilia had made for him and blew into it with all of the power in his lungs, playing the song repeatedly until his beloved mare arrived.

He gave her a loving pat and retrieved a sugar cube from his pouch. He held it out to her as he whispered, "Alright, girl, we've got a job to do. I promise not to push you too hard. Wouldn't want to upset Ilia, would we?"

Epona knelt down and he helped the princess get onto her back before he hopped into the saddle himself. He withdrew his blade as he stared the king down from across the wide, open expanse that was the field.

He heard Zelda ready her bow with an arrow as she said, "I'll try to slow Ganondorf with my light arrows. There are only four, so please do your best to keep straight and steady while I aim the shot."

He nodded, "You got it, princess."

He charged Epona ahead with a swift kick, Ganondorf doing the same as they headed straight for each other. At the last second before collision, Link steered Epona to the right, but Ganon was both smart and quick on his feet. He urged his horse directly after them, and Link could hear the hoof beats growing closer.

He crouched down, urging Epona faster and faster. He didn't dare glance over his shoulder, but Zelda was watching the king's every move. He had his sword held high, ready to strike at any moment, and he was only a few feet behind them, that small distance growing ever smaller as the seconds ticked away.

Suddenly, Link pulled on the reins as hard as he could, forcing Epona to come to an immediate stop. She did so, her hooves digging into the dirt bitterly, but the move was successful. Ganon went soaring past them, not realizing what had happened until it was too late to react. Now, _they_ were behind _him_, and now they had the upper hand.

"Get ready, princess," Link commanded over the rushing wind.

He didn't turn to look at her, but she simply nodded, holding her bow up high and knocking a light arrow onto the string. She pulled back, and Link could hear the powerful magic being drawn forth to it. He leaned forward against his mare's neck, giving her a better view to aim with. They were getting closer… and closer… but Ganondorf was swerving like mad; he must have known what they were trying to do.

After travelling the straight and narrow for a good few seconds, Zelda took her chance. She let an arrow fly, but the evil king veered just in time for it to miss. Link nudged Epona after him, but what he saw then almost made his heart skip a beat. Ganondorf had summoned multiple phantom horsemen to fight by his side. He could hear his dark chuckle, and Link couldn't help but grit his teeth in irritation. It was difficult enough on his steed to keep up with one horseback enemy, he didn't know how he could make her keep up with this many – not only did he not want to hurt her, but he didn't want to hear about it from Ilia later, either.

Just then, the sound of a horn blowing in the distance caught everyone's attention. Link turned and saw King Bulblin calling forth all of the remaining Bulblins, each perched two to a boar, their clubs and blunt knives held overhead as they screeched their own battle cry. Link couldn't fight back the smile if he wanted to; that bastard had kept his word.

The king of the Bulblins pressed his army on, and they kept all of the phantom riders distracted while Link and Zelda focused back on Ganondorf.

The evil man snarled, knowing full well that that fat creature had at one point been under _his_ command, only to turn against him because of that… _boy_. It fueled his rage that much more, and he spurred his imposing stallion back into the fray with a newfound resentment for this hero.

They orbited each other for a good few minutes, both trying desperately to get in behind the other. Finally, Ganondorf won out, and he was inching ever closer. Zelda stared worriedly behind them as he came all too close, glancing back and forth between him and Link, realizing just how hard he was digging into his mount's sides.

Sweat dripped down his brow, but all he could think about was wishing he could tell Epona he was sorry, but that he needed her to give it her all. Ganon's steed was almost three times as big as she was, and she was doing exceptionally well in holding her own. Unfortunately, it wasn't always enough.

Ganondorf was upon them, now riding side by side. Link noticed this and turned toward him as quick as he could, bringing the Master Sword up to bear as the evil king attempted a wide swing at them with the Sword of the Sages that he wielded. The hero grunted under the pressure, realizing quickly just how much stronger Ganon was than him. He gave it everything he had, but it was in vain.

The dark lord overcame the hero with ease, dropping his guard with a forced circular motion before striking the butt of his sword harshly against Link's head, rendering him instantly unconscious. He toppled off of Epona, a sickening crack emitting from his ribs as he hit the dirt, and Ganon finished the job by forcing his stallion to ram into his opponent's charge with all its strength. With a pained whinny, Epona tumbled to the ground, sending the princess with her.

The hero's mare skidded to a stop on her side on the grass, while Zelda rolled to a stop beside her. She reached her hand up to her dizzy head, scanning around her frantically for Link. She could see the Bulblins in the distance battling valiantly against the phantom horses and their men, she could see Ganondorf prompting his steed around in a flurry to come and finish them off, but she did not see Link.

"Link!" she cried.

Ganon was quickly upon her, and that was when she noticed that her bow was much too far away to grab at this point. She could see his wicked smile, hear his evil laugh, and she simply raised her arm up to protect herself as she watched his blade descend upon her. Suddenly, she felt one arm wrap around her waist and she saw the backside of a shield thrust in front of her. The loud clang of the steel reverberating off of the guard was a relieving one, to say the least.

The momentum of Ganon's horse kept him running after the unsuccessful swipe, and the hero and the princess took their short-lived opportunity to compose themselves and get back on Epona.

She turned to Link who had been holding his Hylian Shield in front of her while he crouched down behind her, a look of shock and fear in her cerulean eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked, extending his hand to help her up after he got to his feet.

She nodded hastily, taking his hand and using it to hoist herself up, "Yes. We must hurry."

They ran over to Epona who had gotten back up on her own, but was very frazzled. She was shaking her head and stomping her feet, and Link could tell she had just about had enough. She was strong and fast, and Link knew she could do it, he just hated to put her through this.

"I'm sorry, girl… Just a little longer, okay?" he scratched her neck and gave her another sugar cube before helping the princess up and retaking the saddle.

He looked back, noticing that Ganondorf was rapidly approaching and realizing that there was no point in kicking Epona forward now – it would essentially deliver him the advantage on a silver platter.

Instead, he lay down low against his mare's neck, pulling her head down with the reins as he yelled to the princess, "Duck!"

She lay flat against his back just as the Sword of the Sages soared over the top of them, and now that Ganon was in front of them _they_ could take the advantage. He spurred Epona forward with 'whoop,' signaling for her to give all the haste that she could possibly muster, and Zelda began to prepare a light arrow.

She fired, Ganon veered, and she missed. He looped around to try to get behind them, but Link and Epona did not relent; they kept up the pace and didn't allow his frenzied swerving to get to them, nor his intimidating speed. Zelda pulled back the bowstring for the third time, and aimed a little to the side to account for his wild patterns. She released, and the hit was successful.

He grunted and groaned as the light permeated his body, and Link jolted Epona harder to urge her forward that much faster – this was his chance to end this. He held his blade at the ready and came up beside the Gerudo as he wavered in pain atop his mount. Link hacked away as hurriedly as he could while trying to keep steady in the saddle. When he could tell that the king was beginning to recover from the surge of magic, Link brazenly kicked the side of the black stallion with all of his strength, forcing both the king of darkness and his horse to the ground swiftly.

Dirt flew up all around them as they slid to a slow stop. Link brought Epona to a halt, both he and Zelda watching apprehensively to see what the king would manage next. When the dust began to fade away and settle, they saw Ganon rising to his feet with a laugh yet again. He threw his head back, cackling manically, seemingly mocking the gods.

He looked back to the hero and the princess and said, "An impressive-looking blade, but nothing more," he withdrew his weapon, examining it with disgust as he thought of how this weapon was once used in an attempt at his life by those puny sages, "Would you hear my desire? To take this foul blade and use it to blot out the light forever!"

He approached them, the thunder roaring in the dark skies all the while. Link knew this was it. He dismounted Epona without a word, leaving Zelda to guard her without even a side glance in her direction, and met the evil king in the middle of the field. As soon as he did so, a magical wall was erected around them – no one could enter, and no one could leave. This would be a fight to the death, and Link was ready to finish it.

For a moment, naught was heard but the raging storm and the rushing wind. They circled one another threateningly, Link's eyes narrowed as he focused on the king's every step. His knees were bent and both his sword and shield were held at the ready, prepared for the need to strike at any given moment. Ganon, however, did no such thing. He walked about casually, as if this was only a minor hiccup in his plans.

"You would fight me one on one, boy?" the Gerudo suddenly broke the silence, his strong voice rivaling that of the violent tempest, "No gimmicks, no tricks, no interventions from your pathetic princess or your wretched Goddesses. You would willingly enter a duel knowing that you do not stand a chance against me on your own?"

Link said nothing, and Ganon laughed.

"What a special treat this is for you. Your predecessor was not so lucky. He fell long before he was worthy of such a challenge."

"You're a liar," Link replied through gritted teeth, "He defeated you!"

Ganon laughed even louder, "Is that so? And yet, do I not stand before you now? Stupid boy, I cannot be defeated. Your pitiful race may try to banish me, but I will always return."

A sudden fury overtaking him, Link ran at the evil king at full speed, eager to get the first strike. He swung hard, but Ganondorf swung that much harder, sending him soaring backwards with such ease it was as if he was doing nothing more than swatting a persistent fly.

The Gerudo laughed at the hero's brash attempt, "Fool. What good is courage if you are weak?"

Link stood, spinning his blade once in his hand as he recovered and closed the gap between them, "What good is power if you are afraid?"

"Hah!" the king laughed again, "You stupid _boy_. What would I be afraid of?"

"Me."

Link took the initiative of charging once again, only this time, he merely pretended he was going to rush him head on. When Ganon expected him to do the same thing as before, he performed a wide, sweeping swing of his massive blade, but the hero rolled beneath it, getting behind the king and lashing brutally at his back, resulting in a few large cuts in his long, flowing cloak. Ganondorf yelled in anger as he whirled around, eager to make the young man pay for that move. Link was quick, though, because he knew that if he were to get caught or cornered, he would be done for; even though his adversary was clearly more powerful, the hero made up for it in cunning and speed.

He backflipped hastily out of the way of the king's wild sword, the whoosh of air billowing just past his middle. He regained his footing and brought the Master Sword up to bear as Ganondorf rained his heavy weapon down upon him. The king pushed down on him with all his might, and Link was cracking under the pressure. The Gerudo laughed as he stared daggers into the hero's squinting eyes, watching in delight as he grimaced and sweat beneath his power. His knees were buckling underneath the weight, and his boots were sliding a bit on the wet grass; he simply could not overpower him in this head to head clash.

"We are eternally bound, _hero_. Did you not know?" he asked through a sinister smile, not lessening the intensity with which he pressed down upon him.

"Shut up," Link managed to mutter in between labored breaths.

"You, your princess, and I are all touched by the Goddesses. We are each granted our own piece of their divine power. We are bound for as long as there is time," he leaned in over their crossed blades, only inches from the hero's face, his next words dripping with malice as he whispered unnervingly, "Your soul will never rest. You are doomed to die at my hands again, and again, and again."

"Shut up!" Link huffed, the simple words requiring so much of his already waning strength, "You're a liar!"

Ganon laughed, "Am I?" he pushed the hero back suddenly, causing him to tumble down. He held his arms out wide, egging him on even more, "Come, make me pay for such a lie! Or are you growing weak on your feet?"

Link glowered as he stood back up. This time, he awaited the king to make the first move. After a moment, he rushed at the hero, lightning striking formidably behind him as he did so. He swung his mighty sword vertically upon him, but Link parried it swiftly. Link attempted a horizontal slice, but Ganon guarded it, circling his blade around and dropping his defenses. Link stumbled back, but he recovered quickly. He held up his shield as the Gerudo king attempted a jab, his sword reverberating off of the metal and causing him to be unbalanced for a moment. The hero took this to his advantage, managing to get one good, clean gash in across the dark lord's chest.

He groaned and scowled as he promptly regained his composure, his armor having taken most of the brunt of the attack; it had still done some damage, to be sure, but it was not terminal.

Link lunged forward, hoping to get one more hit in on him before he was fully stabilized again. He attempted to thrust his blade into the king's chest, but he whacked it away effortlessly. The amount of stock the hero had put into that swing, and having it quickly discarded, set him off balance. Ganondorf noticed this, and made his move. He struck Link horizontally across his stomach, causing him to stagger back with a mere grumble.

The king had grown too cocky, and in his arrogance he hadn't put all of his effort into that swipe, expecting to not have to overexert himself in this battle. Of course, the strike was still agonizing, but the hero's chainmail prevented it from being deadly. Ganon sneered, making a mental note to not let that happen again.

Link went at him again, his vigor restored from his previous success. He began slashing like mad, each swing blocked by the Sword of the Sages. Growing bored of this routine, Link ducked into a roll and came up at his rival's backside, but the king was not blind to this. Just as the hero was about to leap up and slice into his back, Ganon spun around, his blade soaring outward with him as he went.

He cut deeply into the stunned hero, using his full strength after learning his lesson the last time. He sliced through the protective metal links that the young man adorned with ease, his sheer power having been no match for the simple mail. A long, diagonal gash led from his left shoulder down to his right hip and it began to bleed profusely almost instantly. Ganondorf laughed unreservedly as he stared into the surprised eyes of the young hero, his body paralyzed in the stance he was in when he took the blow.

Link could hear Zelda gasp and Epona whinny, and even though another sharp inhale from someone else on the opposite side of the barrier struck him as odd, he could not contemplate it. He looked down at himself, crimson quickly soaking his tunic. He did not waver, he did not stumble, he simply stood. After taking the time he needed to compose himself, he looked back up at his adversary with fierce determination in his cobalt irises as he spun his blade once in his hand and assumed the ready position once more.

"You pitiful fool. Why do you persist?"

He stood tall, even despite the pain that plagued him head to toe. He took in a deep breath through his nostrils as he prepared his weak body to look and sound strong as he spoke, not wanting the evil king to see even an ounce of frailty in him for a second, "The Goddesses chose me to end you, and that's what I will do. I accepted this fate without protest, and I will see it through to the end. I don't care if this battle ends in my death, so long as it ends in yours as well."

Ganon's lips curled up into a disquieting leer, his eyes narrowing as he replied with double the forcefulness of the hero in his tone, "Truly words of the Goddesses' hero, boy. You sound as noble and pathetic as your former. I will enjoy watching the last light of life leave your eyes."

With that, the Gerudo launched himself at the hero, slashing rapidly and wildly in hopes of wearing him down. Link deflected each swing effectively, but it was definitely taking its toll on him. Just as the hero prepared to parry another blow, Ganondorf, instead, reached over and grasped him firmly by the neck. Link squirmed under his strong grip, but that only infuriated the king that much more. He lifted the smaller man off of the ground effortlessly, his legs kicking and his hands clawing helplessly at Ganon's, desperately trying to escape.

The king of darkness examined the hero closely, not paying any mind to his panicked grunts or his frantic wriggling, and not caring one bit that Link's fingernails were clawing into the hand around his neck and causing it to bleed. His young, innocent face was covered in sweat and mud, and his eyes were beginning to droop as his consciousness was slowly being choked out of him. His revolting hero's tunic that Ganon despised so much was almost entirely drenched in blood, he realized as he admired his handiwork in the free flowing wound to the boy's middle. However, he couldn't help but notice tied up gauze around his right palm, bicep, and shoulder. Clearly, he did not inflict these upon him as they were already bandaged, and that enraged him.

"You come to me already injured?" he laughed as he lifted Link even higher, "Clearly you are just as ignorant as your predecessor as well. Why must the hero always come to me already near death? It takes so much of the fun out of it for me."

Link could barely breathe through his crushed throat, and his vision was gradually starting to blur, but despite all this, he mustered a comeback, "Maybe… I would be at my best… if you didn't… have your minions guarding your front door… like a coward…"

Link could see his evil eyes suddenly burst with a new level of rage at his words, and the grasp on his neck tightened. He whimpered involuntarily under the pressure. Ganon snarled furiously before placing his free hand on the hero's injured shoulder, and Link swallowed hard as he prepared for what he knew was coming. The evil king pressed his fat thumb into the middle of his arrow wound just below his collar bone, and Link managed a muffled, grating scream of pain. The Gerudo laughed as his bait writhed in his hands, twisting his finger and pressing with all of his strength into his injury, forcing it to bleed freely all over again. Link couldn't stifle the agonized yells if he wanted to; he probably wasn't even aware that he was doing so. It felt as if his shoulder was being filled with piping hot magma; he could feel the still-present arrowhead digging farther and farther into his bone and muscle, and it was by far one of the most excruciating things he had ever felt.

When the king of the desert got his fill, he threw the hero to the ground, wanting to make him suffer a slow, painful death, not end him quickly.

Link hit the wet grass with a thud and a final, tortured groan. He lay on his back, his eyes shut tightly as the rain assaulted him savagely from above, the once calm storm having picked up into an all-out squall. Every raindrop felt like a boulder pelting down upon his wounded flesh, and he thought at that moment that this was it.

He opened his eyes briefly, taking in his surroundings through slightly hazy vision. The black and grey storm clouds were thick above him, lightning striking the ground violently what seemed like every few seconds. The booming thunder shook the entire ground so aggressively that it made the hero's head pound.

He looked over, seeing Ganondorf standing above him, simply staring and pacing back and forth, as if he was merely waiting him out, wanting nothing more than to watch him die a slow death. He glanced just beyond the evil king at his left, seeing Zelda and Epona staring fearfully at the scene before them. He then turned and looked to his right, spotting two people that made him wonder if he was hallucinating. He saw Rusl and Ashei, watching him with horrified looks on their faces. He squinted, trying to discern whether or not his eyes were playing tricks on him, but they appeared to be truly there. He didn't understand why they were here, but he was happy to know that they were alright.

Time passed slower than ever, and Link wondered if his torment would ever come to an end. He was too weak to stand, too weak to move, too weak to even say anything. He merely _watched_ Ganon _watching_ him, waiting for him to grow bored and do something. He didn't know whether he wanted him to hurry up and finish it to bring an end to his suffering or not at this point. The waiting was killing him, and he could feel himself slowly bleeding out upon the once green grass beneath him.

He didn't want to go out this way… He wanted to be victorious. He didn't want to allow the evil king the pleasure of watching him die this undeservingly painful death. So, he used the last of his strength and held out for as long as he could.

Minutes ticked away, and Ganon soon grew bored, saying at last, "Hmm… Impressive, kid. I thought, without a doubt, that you would have passed out from the pain by now," he said mockingly as he stood directly over him and continuing, "But look at you… lying there, sputtering, still pathetically clinging to life with a glimmer of hope in those weak eyes," he laughed, placing a heavily armored foot on the hero's ribcage and pressing down, "Allow me to put that out for you."

Link winced and grunted in pain as a few cracking sounds could be heard from beneath the king's massive foot. Not only were his bones cracking, but the rugged bottoms of his boots were digging into and muddying up his openly bleeding flesh. He placed his hands on the antagonist's heavy foot, trying desperately to push it off of him, but to no avail. He gave up, turning instead to his side where he knew his blade lay beside him. He reached for it, almost grabbing it when Ganondorf took notice. He removed his foot only long enough to kick the Master Sword as far away as he could, the impact clearly having its repercussions on the king of darkness as the blade of evil's bane repelled all malevolence from touching it. He flinched, cursing the foul weapon under his breath before returning his heavy, metal boot to the boy's chest. Link grimaced as the pain threatened to take him, but he couldn't give up.

"Pl… Please…" he wheezed.

"Hah!" Ganon laughed loudly, "Please _what_? You can't _honestly_ think pleading will change anything. You stupid, _stupid_ child."

"Fight me… with honor…" he spat, "You miserable… coward…"

The king of thieves leaned forward with a frightening grin, "The only _miserable coward_ I see here is you. I've grown tired of this," he said at last with one final, downward push.

With another nauseating snap, Link yelped out loud in pain, his ribs clearly having been either broken or severely fractured. He closed his eyes as it had become too much to keep them open. The agony swept over him before numbness took hold, and finally, nothingness.

His head lulled to the side, a single stream of blood trailing from the corner of his mouth as one last breath of air escaped his lungs.

Ganondorf only smiled at first, waiting to see if the hero would surprise him and recover. But as the minutes passed, his evil grin turned into quiet laughter, and that quiet laughter slowly turned into crazed hysterics. He threw his head back and flung his arms out wide as he laughed with everything he had in him.

"The hero has fallen!" he bellowed, the gasps of those standing by not even reaching his round ears, "Your hero has fallen!" he shouted to the sky before turning to a dumbstruck Zelda, "What will your Goddesses think now? What will _you do now_, princess? Your hero has failed! At long last, the hero has failed and I will have my way with this miserable kingdom!"

* * *

_**The culmination of a year's worth of suffering ends at the Gerudo king's feet.**_


	60. I Won't Fall

**A/N:** _This chapter was revised as of 5/4/14 - Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

**What Makes a Hero**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 60: I Won't Fall

**.:.**

All at once, he was surrounded by blinding white.

In each direction he turned there was pure nothingness. Nothing below his feet, nothing above his head, nothing beside him or about him; it was an empty, white void.

Had he died?

Despite being surrounded by oblivion, he felt… at peace. This plane felt warm and inviting, and he found himself eager to learn just what mystical place had given him such feelings of pure serenity. He glanced down at himself, noticing that he was completely clean – no wounds, no scars, no blood. He looked perfectly fine, and he felt just the same; he felt no pain, no uneasiness, no fear. But… hadn't he just been battling Ganondorf on the brink of death? Maybe he truly _had_ died…

When three distinct, bright colors swiftly began to descend upon him from somewhere unknown, he shielded his eyes from the sheer intensity of the lights. He held his forearm in front of his face and squinted, desperate to peek through the blinding illumination at what it was that had suddenly come at him. As the brightness died down a bit, he was able to make out the three vivid colors that hovered before him. A deep blue sat to his left, a vibrant red in the center, and a rich green to his right.

Blue, red, green… it couldn't be… Could it?

"Welcome, hero," the front-most light spoke powerfully, and yet softly at the same time. Just then, he realized exactly _what_ these bright colors before him were, and he immediately dropped to one knee and hung his head in respect.

"Welcome to our Sacred Realm."

Oh Goddesses… the Sacred Realm? He _had_ died. He had _failed_. He wanted to look upon the ones that had chosen him and tell them that he was sorry, but… was a mortal able to look upon the divine with their own eyes?

"Rise, hero," a gentler voice sounded from the right-most radiance. He obliged, standing tall, but he did not lift his head.

"You have no reason to hang your head," the light to the left said evenly, "Come, look upon us."

He was still for a moment, debating within himself if it would be right of him to do so. Deciding it would be much worse to disrespect them by not following their simple request, he raised his head slowly, lifting his eyes to gaze upon them even _more_ slowly. As he looked up, the bright lights encompassing their three frames diminished, and he was able to see them clearly.

The one to his left stood regally, her shoulders back and her chin tilted upwards with impeccable posture. Her perceptive, almond shaped eyes were a deep, profound shade of blue. Her pale, doll-like complexion was only enhanced by her petite nose and her thin, nude lips. Her mature, statuesque features were framed by billowing, pin-straight, silver locks that nearly reached the backs of her knees. Her feminine hands were clasped evenly in front of her long, elegant dress that dangled some distance beneath her hovering feet. It was a magnificent azure color, resembling that of tranquil waters wading softly on a warm, summer's day.

It was clear to Link that this was Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom.

_Nayru... Poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world._

The one directly centered between her two sisters stood tall and powerful. Her warm, caramel colored irises gazed upon the hero dauntingly, and he felt as if she could pierce his very soul. Her wild eyes and her slightly tanned skin set her apart from the others. Her plump, red lips matched that of her scarlet gown. Its high neck covered her collar bone, and its hem stopped just above her knees. Her thick, maroon tresses were tied up in a heavy pony at her crown, reaching the middle of her back in length with slight curls at the ends. Her very presence was commanding, with one hand placed lightly on her left hip and half-lidded eyes staring down her nose at him.

There was no denying that this was Din, the Goddess of Power.

_Din... With her strong flaming arms, she cultivated the land and created the red earth._

The right-most and final deity stood a bit shorter than the others, her aura reading a bit less intimidating than her sisters'. Her features were delicate and feminine, her thin, rose hued lips curled up just slightly into a smile. Her gentle, round eyes were the most penetrating shade of green he had ever seen, rivaling that of any forest or gem born into the world they had created. Long, wavy, light brown tendrils flowed freely down her back and shoulders, stopping just above her hips. Her oak colored hair stood out brilliantly against her emerald dress, its frilly, slightly poofy skirt reaching just below her knees. Her arms lay gently at her sides, her presence a calm and inviting one.

This, he knew without a doubt, was Farore, the Goddess of Courage.

_Farore... With her rich soul, produced all life forms who would uphold the law._

"Do you know why you are here with us?" Din's mighty voice echoed.

Link swallowed hard… surely this could not be real. Was he _really_ gazing upon the three golden Goddesses? The divine deities responsible for the very world and all life forms within it? He must be hallucinating.

"Because, I… I have failed you…" he replied after finally having found his trembling voice.

Farore smiled, her tone resembling that of a quiet breeze blowing through a peaceful field, "No, my child. Far from it."

"You have done all that we have asked of you, and more," Nayru added, her voice sounding as serene as a slowly trickling waterfall.

Link did not understand, "Then… why am I here? Did I not die in battle against Ganondorf?"

The Goddess of Courage shook her head, "No, you did not. You have been greatly injured, that is certain, but you are strong enough to survive your mortal injuries."

The hero furrowed his brow, still awaiting his first question to be answered.

"We brought you here because you have lost faith in yourself," Din stated.

"We brought you here so that we may give you a renewed sense of hope," Farore said.

"We brought you here to remind you that we chose you, and only you, for a reason," Nayru finished.

Link gazed up at them in awe, not even sure if he should speak up or just listen. How was a mere human expected to act in the presence of gods? And was such a miniscule being in the scheme of the great universe permitted to disagree with those of the opposite spectrum? He supposed not, but nevertheless, he disagreed. He hadn't lost faith in himself, as the first Goddess had declared; he was bested by the most evil being Hyrule has ever seen. How did that mean he had lost faith? In his eyes that simply meant that he was overpowered. Then again… they _were_ omniscient gods, perhaps they could see something that he could not.

"You are brave, noble hero," the red Goddess said, "and your indomitable will is what sets you apart from all the rest."

Nayru elaborated, "That, along with your balanced and unbreakable spirit, are the ingredients that make the perfect hero."

"You," Farore beamed.

Link displayed a crooked smile, but they had yet to elude his confusion, "I still don't quite understand…"

"You came much too close, chosen one," Din replied, her tone almost sounding like a warning.

"The mighty king of darkness came much too close to winning," the Goddess of Wisdom explained, "and it is because you gave in to his power."

"We know that you can overcome him," Farore said, "For that is why we chose you."

"We brought you here to help you regain that unwavering resolve that we know you still possess," the Goddess of Power stated.

"We brought you here in need of restoring your once potent vitality," Nayru added.

The three sisters were not blind to the fact that, even though the hero was awestruck and touched by their presence, their words did not mean much. Sure, it meant a lot knowing that it was coming from the golden Goddesses, but the words simply did not resonate with him. Perhaps it was because, even though they were all-knowing, they were not all-_feeling_; they had no actual idea of what Link was going through, of what it _felt_ like to be a chosen hero. They took notice of this instantly, and enacted their final plan.

Farore smiled before saying at last, "We also brought you here because there is someone we thought you might like to speak with."

With all of their eyes suddenly gazing at something behind him, Link turned around apprehensively to see what it was they had meant. He saw something that had not been there only moments earlier. It was a small, grassy hill amongst the nothingness, its bright foliage bringing life to this desolate place. There, at the top of the earthy mound, at the base of a perfectly placed lone tree, sat a green-clad figure blowing into a small, blue instrument.

Link approached the shadowed form slowly and anxiously, not even taking a second to glance back at the Goddesses as they had entirely left his mind. He knew who this was, but he couldn't believe his eyes. He drew ever nearer, the figure coming closer and closer, Link half expecting it to fade away like a mirage in the desert.

No such thing occurred – this was really who he thought it was.

It was the Hero of Time.

Link, once again, found himself plopping down on one knee and hanging his head. That was when he heard the ancient hero… _laughing_? Link picked his head up only far enough so that he could peer through his shaggy bangs at the man beside the tree.

"There's no need for that. Come, have a seat," the Hero of Time stated with a smile as he pat the ground beside him.

Link was hesitant at first, but after he persisted, he did just that.

They sat in silence for quite some time; Link had no idea what to say, and yet, he had so many things he _wanted_ to say. He had so many questions he wanted to ask, so many answers and explanations he was dying to know, but as the opportunity presented itself, he found himself speechless.

"It's nice here, isn't it?" the ancient hero began, "It's calm, quiet… relaxing."

Link said nothing, giving only a wordless nod in response.

He turned to him, "Come, now, don't you speak?"

Link nodded again, but more frantically, as if he was trying so hard not to offend him, "Y-Yes. I'm sorry, I'm just-"

"Nervous?" the hero offered, "No need to be, really. We're one in the same, you and I."

"No, no, no…" Link chuckled nervously, "You… You're the Hero of Time! Everyone knows who you are. Everyone knows what you did to save Hyrule all those years ago. You're a legend, I'm just-"

"You will be, too."

Link wasn't convinced, and he displayed that clearly on his face.

"Trust me, you will be. I was nervous, too, when I came here to talk to the hero before me, so I know how you feel."

Link's eyes went wide. He had heard of the possibility of other heroes before, but it was never made certain as none but the famed Hero of Time had actual _stories_ to go along with them. So to hear that there were, in fact, heroes before even his predecessor was… mind blowing.

"Yeah, there was a hero before me," the Hero of Time said, noticing his successor's sudden shock at his last statement, "I lost my way fighting Ganon as well, had to have an intervention from the Goddesses just like you," he laughed lightly as he recalled the event, "Old hero gave me a stern talking to."

"I've always thought there might have been more heroes before you… but I never knew for sure. Yours is the only story that is told."

He clicked his tongue in disappointment and shook his head, "Shame, isn't it? His story was way cooler than mine, too, trust me."

Link smirked, "Well, if it makes you feel better, yours is a lot better than mine."

The Hero of Time smiled a sad smile, understanding just how the younger man felt, for he remembered feeling the very same. "Everything you've done might feel…" he paused to search for the words, "meaningless, or… insignificant right now, but… it really is all worth it in the end."

Link lit up just a bit, taking that as a hint of optimism for his own situation, "So, you got to see the outcome of your efforts?"

He frowned, "Not exactly. Mine's a confusing story – time travelling back and forth and all that nonsense. Part of me was always a child, and yet I was expected to be an adult," he scoffed, "It's over now. But, to answer your question… No. I left after I defeated Ganon."

Link furrowed his brow, "Why? Didn't you want to stay around to see the land you risked your life to protect in its time of peace?"

He looked down at the ocarina in his hands quietly for a moment, "Do you have a companion? You do, don't you? The imp girl?"

Link nodded, "Midna… yes."

"Is she important to you?"

"Yes," he answered immediately, not even requiring a second of thought, "Very much so. I could not have survived any of this without her."

The Hero of Time smiled another dejected smile, "Yes… I had one, too."

"You had a fairy, right?" Link asked, remembering that fact from the stories.

He nodded, "Yes, but… at the end of our journey together, she left."

Link's brow tightened as he glanced down at the grass beneath him, the ancient hero's statement truly upsetting him as he thought of how he would feel were such a thing to happen to him with Midna.

"She was my best friend," the old hero went on, "She had been with me through it all, much like your _Midna_. When she left I was… heartbroken."

"I can't imagine how I would feel if Midna left," Link thought aloud, his fists clenching at his sides as he recalled both her joking about leaving days earlier and Ganon crushing her Fused Shadow within his grasp. The thought of her leaving of her own free will or her leaving _against_ her will infuriated him. Surely she would never do such a thing to him… _surely_.

"The pain compares to that of any physical injuries I took during my time as hero. I couldn't stand it. That's why I left – to find her."

Link gave a single, slow nod, understanding that that was plenty a good enough reason to not want to stay in Hyrule by himself. As he thought on it, he was almost positive that he would be driven to do the same were Midna to leave him.

"Did you ever find her?" he ventured to ask after a few moments of silence, hoping that his answer would be a positive one.

He shook his head solemnly, "No. I got lost in the woods, found myself in a town that was doomed to hell," he chuckled dryly at the memory, "Wasted three days that felt like a thousand there. Went back to the forest after that… I spent the rest of my days searching, but I never found her."

Link wanted to say something, he wanted to comfort or console this man, but he knew it was pointless. It had happened so many years ago in a lifetime that was no longer existent; while the painful memories lived on (as he had witnessed in the Sacred Grove as clear as day), he was sure that the actual, _physical_ turmoil of feeling such loss had passed. After all, this was his afterlife, a time and place free of the troubles and worries of the mortal world. Despite that, he knew that the closeness a hero shares with his companion is one without equal – there is no other soul on earth that can understand the way they do, and that is why the relationship between hero and companion is so important. Without his own, he didn't know what he would do.

"I'm sorry," was all he found worthy of saying.

"It's in the past; can't do anything about it now," he hummed a quick note into his ocarina sarcastically, "Besides, I'm happy here. I'm finally able to relax. Well, except for the times when you called on me."

Link turned to him, a look of both puzzlement and bewilderment on his face; he had an idea of what he was referencing, but he wanted to be sure before he said anything or jumped to conclusions.

The hero smiled and repeated a certain line he knew his descendant would remember, "'_A sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage_.'"

Link beamed from ear to ear, "I knew that was you! I just knew it!" he exclaimed excitedly. But as he looked the man up and down now, it was clear that the appearance he took now and the one of the old spirit were entirely different. Here he looked clean, happy… _whole_. The skeleton was dirty, regretful, and, well… a _skeleton_.

"But, you looked so… _dead_."

He laughed, "Well, I am, aren't I? The Goddesses didn't want you knowing it was me just yet, said it would've given you a big head or some such nonsense."

Even though Link had been expecting it, he was still so surprised to hear the words, "I can't believe I've actually been crossing blades with the Hero of Time," he muttered to himself.

The hero laughed again, "It's not really anything special, trust me. At heart I'm still just some kid from the forest that happens to have a… well, a rather _grim_ outlook on things that matches that of an adult."

"You don't seem to have a grim outlook to me."

"Good," he smiled slightly, "I had hoped it wasn't obvious. Let's just say… I saw many disturbing things while I was alive. I don't think I would have been able to live a normal life after my journey had finished anyway. Probably couldn't have functioned in normal society," he paused, a funny and very possible scene playing out in his mind's eye before describing it, "I could just see it now… Some nice, young maiden asking me to dispose of a spider in her chambers… I would run in and probably beat it senseless, far past the point of death, and she would think me some lunatic," he laughed, adding one final thing, "Locks freak me out. Doors, actually, in general freak me out."

Link averted his ancestor's gaze, his words having a negative effect on him even though he was sure he hadn't meant any harm in them. He found himself wondering if he would feel the same after this was done. Could he go back to a normal life, or would he be doomed to a similar fate as his predecessor?

The ancient hero could see the distress on Link's face and continued, "Now, that's not to say that _you_ couldn't live normally and happily once you're done with all this. Perhaps you're stronger than I was. Perhaps you have a better chance at a normal life than I did because you had the privilege of growing up on your own and learning to live a normal life in the first place. I didn't have that, and I'm sure that's why I never would have been able to lead a typical life, because I never truly learned what that meant."

Link looked back at him with an expression of dismay, "I have found myself often wondering if I would be able to go back to the way I was living before all of this after I defeated Ganondorf. I'm not so sure I could. But then, I always kind of found myself simply deciding that I would die in the battle and I would never have to worry about that in the first place."

"Now, that's no attitude to have going in to a fight," the Hero of Time scolded.

"I know, it's just… I don't know if I have the strength left in me to get back up at this point. Down there, I'm pretty much at death's door, bleeding out on the ground. How am I supposed to stand up and fight when my body is so completely broken? I've gotten used to battling with terrible, painful injuries, but this one… I really don't know."

"I see…" the old hero nodded as he contemplated what he had just heard with a deep brow, "I remember feeling that way myself, actually, when I was speaking with the hero before me. Do you want to know what he told me?"

Link looked at him, eyes wide in wonder, urging him on.

"He said, '_A true hero picks himself up, dusts himself off, and leaps once more unto the fray, facing death for others with no thoughts of personal gain or glory_.'"

Link glanced down at the grass beneath his boots, having expected much more optimistic words to be said. He was sure he had already enacted these words, having decided long ago that he did not care if he died, so long as he took Ganon with him.

He rephrased it just for the sake of hearing it aloud in simpler terms, "So… I shouldn't even be worrying about whether I live or die, so long as I complete the destiny set before me so that everyone else will be saved."

The ancient hero nodded sadly, knowing that it sounded gloomy and hopeless, "Unfortunately, yes; that's the life we're given as heroes."

He could see the high level of distraught on Link's face, for even though he would gladly give his life for his loved ones and all of Hyrule, there was still the part of him that clearly wanted to live on and experience what life had to offer outside of the turmoil of being the Goddesses' chosen.

The Hero of Time knew this feeling well, too, and so continued, "Do not take those words as a means to an end. That doesn't mean that you should just give up on trying to keep yourself alive. I had to battle with the hands of death myself after I fought Ganon. It was only because of my desire to live again that I ever awoke."

Link glanced back up at him, a bit of shock in his eyes as he thought of one of his previous questions, "Back in the Temple of Time, I thought I saw you… die. But, you lived."

"Yes, I lived," the hero said, fiddling with his ocarina as he went on, "But it was no easy task. It was with determination and perseverance that I lived to see another day. Ganon was no meager foe, as I am sure you have already discovered for yourself, and I, myself, was left at death's door, as you put it. Let me be living – well, _lived_ – proof that you _can _get up and keep going, even if your body feels battered to the point where you can barely breathe."

"I don't know if I have that same tenacity," Link said with a frown.

The old hero gave a slight chuckle, "It is clear that you do if you have made it this far as the hero. I do not doubt that your trials have been a thing of legend."

Link glanced down at his oddly smooth hands in his lap, the scars and damage they had taken over the months not visible in this place. Looking back on his _trials_, as his ancestor called them, he didn't think of them as anything even close to a '_thing of legend_.' They seemed almost trivial when compared to the fabled tales of the great Hero of Time.

"I don't know," he shrugged, "My journey hasn't been anything like yours."

"How can you be so sure?"

Link paused, almost taken aback at his response. Not only was this man _the_ hero, but he was _his_ hero. There was simply no comparison between their tales – his was so mediocre in contrast.

"I grew up learning your story. My mother read me book after book of all of your amazing feats and your incredible acts of bravery. It just seemed so easy for you, like being the hero was just so natural – like you were _born_ to be great," he gave a dry chuckle, "I definitely wasn't. It's been so hard for me. I've failed more than I feel like I've succeeded. I've fallen at the hands of even the meekest of enemies and I've been close to death more times than I can count on both hands," he scoffed, "My adventure has been such a joke."

Link returned his gaze to that of the Hero of Time when he heard him strangely laugh. The hero noticed his quizzical look, not understanding what he found so funny, so he explained it with a wave of his hand.

"I'm sorry, I just find it quite amusing how my story is told."

Link furrowed his brow deeply, utter curiosity taking over his being in a flash.

"My journey was not easy for me by any means. I was most certainly _not_ simply _born_ great. I was plucked out of my simple life at the tender age of ten – you better believe I stumbled and fell a hell of a lot. Death was certainly a close friend to me as well. I failed numerous times, but I always got up and went for it again, just as I know you have. If missteps and mistakes make your adventure a joke, then surely mine was a thing of pure comedy."

Link quickly averted his ancestor's mature, sapphire eyes, feeling suddenly embarrassed at his own ignorance; he hadn't meant to insult his hero by any means, he had intended it as just the opposite.

The Hero of Time noticed his uneasiness and continued, "Mistakes and failures are simply a part of life, hero or not. Without them, we do not grow or learn. It is because of sometimes-painful accidents that we can understand how to avoid such things in the future. Failure is a vital part of being a hero. To be quite honest, I find failure quite a noble thing; it means you were willing to try something that was _not_ easy, and you overcame it."

Link was quiet then, the ancient hero's words slowly pricking away at all of his inner turmoil.

"I just didn't want to tarnish the reputations of Hyrule's heroes; I didn't want to let you down. All I've heard all this time is how my deeds remind people of the Hero of Time, and I honestly didn't know how I felt about constantly being compared to you. On one hand, it was flattering, but on the other, it was terrifying because how could I ever be what you were?" he paused, turning to the old hero with all the seriousness in the world in his eyes, "I've spent so much time trying to live up to what you were… to be the hero that you were."

"You can't think like that," the Hero of Time interjected, "You can't worry about living up to a legend, because legends are not always accurate; they become more and more elaborate as they are told by different generations. You need only focus on being the hero that you are meant to be, not the hero that I was. We were heroes in two different times, for two different princesses, and while the heart of the kingdom is the same, yours is not the same Hyrule that I fought for. You cannot judge your actions against mine, because our stories are completely different. Do you understand?"

Link was silent. His voice had left him entirely and he found himself completely amazed at how much those words had struck him to the core. It was as if everything finally clicked into place in his mind, like a giant puzzle was at last put together before his very eyes. It was like, _finally_, everything made sense, everything was put into perspective; it was like he _finally_ understood what it meant to be one of Hyrule's heroes. It wasn't some test, or a competition to see if one could live up to the other. Each had their own legacy; this Link had his own story that was nothing like the Hero of Time's, or any other hero's for that matter. It wasn't important that he behave just like his predecessors, because he wasn't them, and their tales were completely different from his.

He didn't have to live up to anything, because he would eventually create his own legend. Many years after his story had been told again and again and it inevitably grew into more than it actually had been, another hero would step forward and take up the mantle, and the cycle would begin anew.

"I have so many questions I've always dreamt of asking you, but after what you just said… I almost feel as if you've so simply answered everything I've ever wondered just like that."

The old hero smiled and placed a strong hand on his descendant's shoulder, "I'm glad I could be of help. Being one of the Goddesses' chosen is no easy task, but I know that hearing it from the mouth of someone that understands firsthand what it's like can do wonders for your spirit. I felt the very same on my little trip here back in my heyday."

Link smiled in return, "I wonder if I'll ever be on the other end of another hero's trip here in the future."

"Unfortunately, you most likely will be. The cycle of heroes, princesses, and demons is one that will never end, and I doubt there will ever come a day in which a future hero doesn't need a little guidance."

That thought made Link frown, but he did his best to push the negative images aside. There was one thing, however, that no matter how hard he tried he could not shrug it off; he simply had to ask.

"Ganon said something toward the beginning of our battle that kind of disturbed me, but I'm not sure if it was true or if he was simply trying to get under my skin."

The Hero of Time narrowed his eyes, instantly recognizing where this was going. He said nothing, allowing his successor to continue.

"He said that he and I are eternally bound. He said that my soul will never rest, and that I will die at his hands again and again for all of time," Link turned to gaze upon his predecessor and the look on his face said it all. He looked distraught, and it was clear that the evil king spoke the truth without even hearing what the hero's response was yet.

"He's right, I'm afraid. Back in the earliest days of this world, a terrible curse was placed upon those who bear the Triforce by the forerunner of all of the malevolence Hyrule has ever endured. It is because of this same devil that there are monsters and demons in our world, and it is because of him that we will be called to end said monsters and demons again and again without cease. The Triforce of Wisdom, as you might already be aware, is passed down through every other generation of princesses of Hyrule. The Triforce of Power was claimed unrightfully by Ganon, and the Triforce of Courage is passed down by those who possess the '_spirit of the hero_,' as the Goddesses refer to it."

Link looked even more confused than he started out to be.

"The Goddesses have spoken of reincarnation and many of Hyrule's most knowledgeable scholars will agree in believing that the hero is simply the same soul born repeatedly throughout history only into different bodies, meaning that what Ganon told you is true. Although… would that mean that each of us 'heroes' are literally made of one, single soul, simply split apart into separate physical counterparts? Or are we each our own individual, merely each possessing the same heroic essence of our forebears? That question, regretfully, the Goddesses will not answer even me."

Link found himself gazing bewilderedly down at his boots for what felt like the hundredth time already. Even though he had come so far and journeyed so long, there was still so much he did not know and so much he had yet to discover about himself and his heroic lineage. Fighting for eternity? Never being given a true, heavenly afterlife without soon being called down to Hyrule to live through the hardships of being the hero over and over again? No… that couldn't really be true. After all, he was sitting here, in the Sacred Realm, speaking with the Hero of Time; if all heroes truly did possess the same old, burdened spirit, wouldn't he, essentially, be speaking with himself? Oh Goddesses… that thought made his head hurt.

"Whether we are of the same soul or otherwise matters not; it is probably for the best that we do not know for certain what our true fate is, or else it would drive us mad. What matters is that we take control of what we can – our ability to bring peace to our beautiful kingdom and the ability to help future heroes do the same."

"Is that all we are, though?" Link's sudden conjecture stopped the ancient hero midsentence, his mouth still agape just ever so slightly, "Is that all the Goddesses expect us to be? I understand my role as their chosen, and I will gladly do what they expect of me… but then to learn that not only are our mortal lives taken from us, but our immortal lives as well? Not even in death are we allowed peace? I just…" he sighed, "Is it selfish of me to just want to be like everyone else? To be able to just simply… _live_?"

The Hero of Time heaved a sigh of his own just the same, glancing up at the rustling leaves of the tree beside them in a fictional wind. He understood exactly how the young hero felt, for he had felt exactly the same at one time, but he also remembered very clearly that words had done little to ease his weary spirit, and his heart ached to know that this Link would likely feel just as let down, as there simply were no consoling words for some occasions.

"It's not selfish, but, sadly, it is unrealistic."

Link frowned and opened his mouth to say something, but his ancestor continued before he could get a word out.

"Before you take that the wrong way… I did not intend it so one-dimensional. It is unrealistic in the sense that, simply, we are not like everyone else, and therefore, cannot live like everyone else. That does not mean, however, that we cannot live at all. After the things that a hero sees and does, it is impossible to go back to a completely normal life, but a sense of normalcy can still be obtained if one is willing to work at it. I believe I was just much too young when I was whisked away, and that's why I was doomed to never get to really _live_ in the first place. But, as I said just earlier, you were much older than I when your legend began, giving you a much better chance at teaching yourself to live normally again," he paused a moment, trying desperately to read his heir's expression but found himself unable to, "Do you understand?"

All Link could do was nod. He heard his words, understood them, and he allowed them to sink in, and yet, he found little comfort in them.

The Hero of Time could see that he was not responding well, so he added, "You _can_ live. You _will_ get the opportunity to live again, you just have to finish that bastard off down there. Got it?"

Link turned to him with a bit of a glimmer in his eyes, "You really think I can beat him?"

"There's not a doubt in my mind. The hero always wins, didn't you get the memo?" he finished with a smile.

Link couldn't help but smirk himself before adding one final tease, "You know, he actually tried to say he defeated you."

His ancestor laughed out loud, "Not even in his wildest dreams! Sure, he got me good, but I got him better! I definitely gave him what for, now it's your turn to do the same."

Link laughed right along with him, "I will. I'll take him right down with me."

With those words, the ancient hero was suddenly serious again, forcing Link to straighten up as well. The older man turned to face his successor head on, placed both of his hands on his shoulders, and spoke up with one hundred percent sincerity.

"Listen to me. If you take only one thing away from this conversation, let it be this… You _will_ defeat Ganondorf, and once you do, hang on to life with every fiber of your being and with every last drop of power in your spirit. You are strong enough to survive, but it is up to you to harness that strength."

Link was a bit taken aback at his sudden seriousness, and so he went on.

"Even though some of your negativity is meant as a joke, I can see in your eyes that you mean it. In your heart you truly believe that you will not last after the battle, I can see it plain as day; I had that same exact look on my face back in my day. Do _not_ think that way," he continued in a deep voice, his cobalt eyes glaring right into Link's very similar cerulean ones, "You have friends, family, loved ones - do _not_ leave them. Do _not_ let their last memory of you be of you on your death bed, bloody and beaten past recognition. Doctors and healers may be able to mend your body, but only you can heal your mind and spirit. Understand?"

Link nodded slowly, his brow tight as he considered the words. It wasn't that he didn't want to keep living, he just wasn't sure how he was going to get back up after the lashing he had already taken. Could Renado even fix him up at this point? He honestly had no idea, but… he would still give it his all, no matter how agonizing.

"Thank you… Thank you for everything."

"Ah, you're welcome," the Hero of Time said with a smirk before clapping him on the shoulder and releasing his firm grip on him.

"I honestly mean that. You've completely changed my outlook on… well, everything, really," he chuckled a bit timidly.

The older hero gave a quiet laughter of his own in return, "It was my pleasure, truly. You are even more than I could have ever hoped for you to be, and I am so proud of you and everything you've accomplished. The Goddesses definitely knew what they were doing when they called upon you."

Link almost couldn't believe his ears. His childhood hero – scratch that, _lifelong_ hero – was telling him that he was a great hero and that he was proud of him? He considered pinching himself, but a sudden, beautiful voice caught his attention from behind him and distracted him from the conversation at hand.

"Brave hero…"

He turned to see the Goddess of Courage standing a few feet away, apart from both the legendary hero and her sisters, seemingly beckoning him toward her. He got to his feet and approached her, noticing that since she was no longer hovering above the ground she was a couple inches shorter than he. She had a slight smile on her porcelain features and simply being in her presence made him feel as if pain and heartache were merely things of nightmares, nothing more.

"Much to the disapproval of my sisters, it is customary that I ask something of you," she said, her calm voice enveloping him like a warm blanket.

He nodded a bit apprehensively, "Y-Yes?"

She glanced down at her clasped hands, seemingly anxious before saying, "You have the opportunity to stay here, in our Sacred Realm, and be reunited with loved ones that have departed. You may stay here, away from all the troubles of the mortal world, and leave behind the burden of being our hero."

Link's jaw almost went slack, but he held himself together, "I…" he tried, initially unable to find his voice, "I don't understand…"

"Should you accept, Hyrule will be lost… but your spirit will be at peace. Din and Nayru do not agree with me giving this option to my heroes, but I feel that it is the least I can do for such noble, selfless men. After all, we could always start anew."

Link's mind seemed to think a million thoughts all at once. If he accepted, he wouldn't have to return to his beaten, near-death body; he would be pain-free and worry-free. If he accepted, he would get to be with his parents; he would get to talk to them again and tell them everything he had wanted to say since his tenth birthday eight years ago. If he accepted, his spirit wouldn't be subject to an eternity of rebirth for the sheer purpose of battling and dying over and over again; he would get to spend his afterlife in an everlasting peaceful bliss.

If he accepted… Ganondorf would live on and take over Hyrule; what would happen to all of his friends and family? Would they all die? What would happen to the kingdom? If he accepted… he would put the children through a horrible, painful loss; Din knows they had already been through enough torment this past year, but losing their big brother? No…

If he accepted… No, he couldn't. It wasn't even an option.

"Accepting your offer, Your Greatness, would be the most selfish thing I could ever do," he spoke up assertively, looking the deity directly in her eyes, "I would be leaving all of my loved ones to death or torture; I would be leaving them to fend for themselves in a battle that none but me can win. Accepting your offer might benefit me, but it would damn everyone else… and I simply could never do that."

Farore closed her eyes briefly and released an exhale with a wide grin, "My heart soars upon hearing those words, hero."

He smirked just slightly, noticing her overjoyed expression, "You knew I would say no, didn't you?"

She covered her mouth with her hand as she giggled before reaching down and grasping each of the hero's hands in hers, "There is always just a faint shadow of uncertainty when I ask my heroes because I understand that it is tempting, but mostly, yes, I knew you would decline."

He looked down at her petite hands wrapped affectionately around his, the feeling of complete serenity and tranquility surrounding him wholly when a question pricked at his mind and he returned to gaze into her unearthly irises.

"Have any heroes ever accepted?"

She smiled, "Not one."

He smiled just the same.

"Hero…" she spoke up again after a brief silence, "You are the one that I have chosen, the one who carries my piece of the sacred triangle. I have every faith in you and I know that you will succeed in this battle. It is time now for you to leave this place. The evil king thinks that he is victorious, and the princess anxiously awaits your return."

She released his hands as she and her sisters in the distance began slowly ascending back into the nothingness from whence they came.

"Go now, return to the world of light. Return to our beautiful Hyrule and set it free from the clutches of that wicked man."

He gave her a stern nod, and she again smiled. As she continued to hover ever upwards, her form slowly fading, she placed her hands on the sides of the hero's face and planted a gentle kiss on his forehead. He closed his eyes momentarily, taking in the soothing embrace of the divine Goddess of Courage. He reopened his eyes with a smile just as the three deities disappeared entirely.

He then turned to glance at his predecessor one final time when he heard him clear his throat to get his attention.

The Hero of Time gave him a cheeky grin and wink before saying, "Don't want to leave the princess waiting, right?"

Link gave him a firm, reassuring nod before everything around him began to gradually fade away. The last thing he saw before he returned to the world of the living was that of the smiling, approving face of the legendary hero – _his_ hero.

In a single, drawn-out, agonizing minute that felt like days, the pure, white peacefulness of the holy Sacred Realm dissipated into the tainted, dark chaos of Hyrule Field. His senses returned to him one by one as his soul returned to his body, the most prominent of those being the excruciating pain that coursed viciously through his every vein. He couldn't open his eyes, he couldn't move, but the sound of torrential rainfall and thunder began to reach his long ears, and soon after he began to hear the antagonizing, booming voice of the king of evil. At first, he couldn't make out any words, only muttered incoherencies amongst his muddied senses.

His eyes slammed shut tighter as he realized just how much pain he was in, and that he was going to have to fight through this. He literally gasped out loud as he breathed, his broken and misplaced ribs jabbing into his lungs with each and every intake of air. He forced his eyes open against their will, and wetness began to splash upon them instantly. He turned his head to the side and saw that the magical barrier was still very much intact, and he couldn't help but wonder how much time had passed since he had left the mortal world – or maybe the Goddesses had halted time altogether, knowing that he would need the extra time to simply get back on his feet.

He blinked as the rain pelted his eyelashes, and he grimaced when the pellets hit his open wounds. He saw Ganon, with his back to him, as he paced back and forth seemingly out of an unbridled excitement at his victory. He tried to listen, but found that he could only make out every other word.

"Your… has fallen! Goddesses… now? Your hero… failed! At long… has failed… my way… miser… kingdom!"

He blinked again, trying to clear his vision as he looked over at Zelda sitting motionlessly atop Epona. He could see that her hand was clasped over her heart and her eyes were closed, and he could tell that she was praying with everything she had to the Goddesses.

He knew he had to get up, but his body wasn't listening.

Get up… he told himself… _Get up_!

He winced as he summoned all of his strength to pick himself up into a seated position. He grunted something awful, but luckily Ganondorf had been too self-absorbed to hear it. Link was almost positive he heard either Zelda or Ashei gasp from the sidelines. He wasn't sure which it had been, but he just hoped that his enemy remained oblivious; he knew if Ganon turned and saw him as he was now he would be able to end him much too quickly, he needed this time to get himself to his feet and compose himself before alerting the evil king.

He looked down at himself for only a moment, his once-green tunic almost entirely unrecognizable. A persistent, running wetness that was not the same consistency of the rain dripping down his face caused him to habitually run the back of his hand across his nose. When he pulled his hand back, his glove was covered in blood. He could feel the familiar liquid trickling into his mouth and the taste that he had grown accustomed to was now amplified by at least a dozen. He shook his head, trying desperately to clear his thoughts, but that only rattled his brain and hurt his head worse.

He knew he couldn't keep wasting time. Summoning everything he had in him, he stumbled to his feet with a moan. Staggering about as his equilibrium was all out of whack, he made his way slowly over to his nearby blade where his rival had kicked it aside earlier and picked it up, his head spinning when he stood up straight again.

Ganon, having since still not let up on his triumphant rant, remained unaware of the hero's presence, and Link was ecstatic to have the element of surprise on his side.

"Ganondorf," Link wheezed.

He could literally feel the chill that ran up the dark lord's spine run up his own. The bearer of power went immediately stone cold, as still as a statue, and his voice was cut off in his throat; he couldn't believe his ears.

He turned around slowly, and he saw the weakened boy standing before him, spitting a wad of blood from his mouth before saying, "I told you… I will not rest until you are dead."

Ganon's eyes went wide, his lips quivering with ire as they flipped completely upside down. His brow twitched and his pupils suddenly dilated as an uncontrollable fury swept over him in an instant.

He screamed out loud in pure rage, throwing his arms down in a fit before shouting, "Your Goddesses use cheap tricks to bring back their hero now! Is that what your pathetic gods have resorted to, being unable to find a strong enough hero who can defeat me?"

"They didn't bring me back. I didn't go anywhere," Link said, mustering the strength to sound powerful even though he felt so utterly feeble as he began to make his way over to him.

Ganondorf narrowed his eyes into scrutinizing slits.

"Too thick to understand?" the hero questioned, drawing in closer to his enemy as he said his next words slowly, "I will not die until my destiny is complete. I'm not going down unless you're coming with me, and I promise you, you will _not_ live to see another day."

The Gerudo leaned in even closer, leering down at the hero all the while. He began chuckling at first before bursting into all-out hysterics.

"That's funny, _kid_. You can barely even stand, and you think you can defea- agh!"

A sudden slice to the king's side startled him and forced him back quite a ways. When he regained his composure he tightened the grip on his blade and snarled at the hero, initiating the battle once more. Link swung his own blade in his hand once, softening his knees and readying himself as best he could for whatever was coming at him. His senses were dulled and his reaction time was a bit sluggish, but he told himself he was going to forget all of those things and forget the pain, and so that was what he was going to do – it's what he _had_ to do.

Ganon bridged the gap between them in a hasty leap, bounding towards the smaller man with such intensity that Link's heart skipped a beat. He raised his guard and blocked the oncoming strike, but he knew in this position he would soon be overpowered. He dropped his shield and ducked into a roll, getting at his foe's backside. Before he could even get a hit in, however, Ganondorf whirled around, blade outstretched for the kill. Even though Link had hoped the evil king wouldn't react quick enough, he had still been expecting it as that had been how he obtained the massive gash in his middle as it were.

He backflipped just out of the way of the sharp steel and dove swiftly back at the Gerudo king in hopes of exploiting his momentary opening. He went for a hurried horizontal slash, but Ganon parried. He struck vertically, but Ganon parried. He struck horizontally again, but Ganon still parried.

Strike. Parry. Strike. Parry. Strike. Parry.

Link was quickly being worn out, and Ganon was not blind to this. As if he wasn't already overconfident enough, the hero's beaten state made the dark king even cockier. He let up a bit, his plan being that he would let Link think that he was overcoming him, and then he would suddenly take him by surprise and end it.

The hero definitely noticed his adversary ease up as his guard was put up a bit slower each time and his strength in pushing him back was lessening. Link, however, was not stupid; he knew this was a trick. He played along, striking harder and harder and allowing him to think that his plan was working. Link could see it in his foe's eyes – he would come at him powerfully soon.

Link didn't wait for that to happen. Since their routine had continued as a strike and a parry for quite some time, he knew that Ganon would inevitably be expecting another strike. When it came time for that, he, instead, used his choice weakness against him and pushed right through the king's guard with his shield, bashing him punitively in the head. He stumbled back and Link followed it up with a deep, powerful slice across the chest.

Ganon hit the ground, mud splashing up around him as he did so. Link walked over to his side and looked down at him. He noticed, to his dismay, that the evil king was only knocked off his feet, not really substantially hurt at all. Link sighed and waited for his opponent to get back up, knowing that it would not have been a fair end to hit him when he was simply knocked down.

The sinister man stared up at the hero in confusion for a moment, remaining on the ground as he said, "Why do you not end it when you have the chance?"

"I'm not a coward," Link managed through exhausted breaths, "I won't resort to striking you down when you are unable to defend yourself. I will defeat you in a fair fight, not with a cheap shot. I will fight you with honor."

Ganondorf was silent for a moment before bursting out into whole-hearted laughter. He stretched out his leg and hooked it around the hero's feet, knocking him clear to the ground with a winded '_oomph_' as he hit the grass hard on his back. Link groaned at the instantaneous pain that ruptured head to toe upon collision, but he was forced to forget it as the Gerudo was quickly back on his own two feet and hovering above the young man.

He thrust the Sword of the Sages down so fast that Link was positive that this was it, he was dead. He reopened his eyes when he heard the metal pierce the wet ground mere inches from his side, and Ganon leaned over him, using his blade as support.

"Where has honor gotten you, hm?" he drew in closer still, leaving only inches between their faces, "On the cold ground, beneath my blade, just begging to be killed for the second time already. Why must the Goddesses' hero always be so completely ignorant?"

Link hadn't been listening to a single word. Instead, he was devising how he was going to get out of this. He had noticed that Ganon was leaning entirely against his blade's hilt, using the weapon as his sole support as he hung over him intimidatingly like a hawk. After he went over in his mind how this was going to happen and what he had to do, he smacked the evil king's sword with all of his might. It sliced up his own forearm quite nicely in the process, but he didn't care. With the ground being slick and wet, the force of Link's hit lodged the blade free of the earth, and since Ganon had been using it as his support, he began to fall down as it was knocked out from under him. Link rolled hastily out of the way, forcing the Gerudo to face plant into the mud.

The hero got to his feet with a satisfied grin, distancing himself a bit as he was sure that the king would now be outraged. Ganon lifted himself up slowly, staring daggers at the young Ordonian before screaming out loud in anger. After standing back up and wiping a hand down his face, he spoke sharply through gritted teeth.

"You will pay for that."

It was then that the king of evil did something Link had not been expecting. With a sudden, inexplicable burst of speed, Ganondorf began raining his blade down upon him in a rapid flurry. Usually, Link was the one that was quickly slicing in all directions, forcing his opponent to respond rapidly with a guard in the correct direction. This time, Ganon was the one doing the striking, and he was doing it so swiftly that all the hero could do was hope that he was anticipating the right moves and blocking the right way.

The dark lord struck again and again, Link's power waning little by little as he did so. His boots slipped in the wet grass and mud, further hindering his cause. Ganon noticed that he was beginning to slow and starting to weaken even more, and he couldn't help but smirk as he thought of what he would do next.

Instead of another strike, Ganondorf snatched Link up by his collar and pulled him in close before saying, "Here's a tip, _boy_. Don't openly display your wounds and weak spots," he grinned wickedly as he took his free hand and jammed it once again into the hero's injured shoulder with all his might, "It allows your enemy to exploit them."

Link gasped out loud in pain when Ganon proceeded to sink a left hook into his raw, bleeding middle, followed by another, and another, before he finally sent the hero back to the ground with a powerful right punch to the face.

It spun him around before he hit the dirt with a thud. He moaned as he dismissed the pain and hurriedly picked himself back up. Ganondorf laughed, but Link didn't give him the opportunity to say anything. He was done playing games. He was going to end it _now_, and he was going to take the evil king's own _tip_ in doing so.

They went back to taking turns slicing, dicing, and parrying, each seeming like they would never give up the fight until the dawn of time. Link slashed horizontally, and Ganon blocked. Ganon slashed diagonally, and Link blocked. Link slashed vertically, and Ganon blocked before pushing back harshly. Link regained himself and lunged at him with another quick vertical slash. Ganon blocked, but when he tried to push him back again, Link withstood the shove, not giving in and, instead, pushing back.

Their blades were interlocked yet again, both trying desperately to overcome the other. Link could've sworn he saw sweat dripping down the evil king's brow, even through the downpour of rain. His cold, dark eyes bore into him terrifyingly as he pushed down upon him with all of his immense power.

Ganon stared down at this _child_ that was somehow holding his own against him. He didn't understand it; he was the bearer of the Triforce of Power, so why were these little _brats_ always able to somehow defeat him? It infuriated him!

He stared at him now, his left eye starting to swell shut and blood covering him head to toe, and he almost laughed – even if he _did_ lose this battle, he was almost positive that this stupid _kid_ wasn't going to last afterwards anyway. At least he had done his job in exterminating one of the Goddesses' pathetic '_chosen heroes_.'

Numbness had taken the place of pain in Link's body, and even though he was way past the point of broken, he carried on. He conjured up every last drop of strength that was left in his battered bones, and he slowly felt himself overpowering the great Gerudo king.

He knew this was it. This was his chance; he couldn't mess it up. He finally had the upper hand. It was now or never.

With the tables turned and with Link now pushing his adversary down, he leaned over their crossed blades just as Ganon had done earlier and whispered, "You should have taken your own advice."

Before shock or confusion could even register on his tanned face, Link spun their weapons down, dropping his guard, and he plunged the Master Sword into Ganondorf's clearly visible weak spot in the center of his chest. He buried the blade into him up to its hilt, Link's other hand on Ganon's armored side for extra force as he shoved it through his back. He stared up at the king of evil, his expression almost blank before realization sunk in.

Everything seemed to stop at that moment. There was no sound, no feeling, no _nothing_. He remained there, almost pressed up against Ganon's front as he still grasped firmly at his sword's grip, looking up into his dying, emotionless eyes. He had no idea how much time was ticking away, but he stayed there quite some time, almost in disbelief of what he had just done. Had that really happened? Was he really standing here with his blade embedded into the chest of the mighty king of power? Then he began to wonder… was he truly done in?

Link pulled the Master Sword from Ganon's chest, suddenly emitting a lengthy, tormented scream from the Gerudo's cold, gray lips.

The hero stepped back and sheathed his blade, simply watching in awe as the once-powerful man yelled at the top of his lungs before gasping for air and pressing his hands to his wound. The rain did not let up, and yet Link could hear nothing but the pained whimpers of his dying rival before him.

Ganon staggered and groaned before managing weakly, "Do not think this ends here…" he grimaced and spat, "The history of light and shadow will be written in blood!"

When the symbol of the Triforce faded from the back of his hand, it was as if what strength he had left in him to survive was simply whisked away. He began wavering, his eyes drooping as he uttered one final thing.

"Even though I die… You are coming with me, _hero_."

If he had had the strength, Link was sure that Ganon would have finished with a laugh, but all he could manage was a smirk, but that, too, quickly faded. His body began to still and his eyes went cold before they shut entirely. He was still standing, but he moved and breathed no more. Link wasn't sure if he had passed on in such a way due to rigor mortis, or if it was the evil king's last ditch effort at instilling fear and intimidation into the hearts of all who witnessed his death. Either way, it was unsettling, watching him stand tall even though he was now lifeless, his cape billowing in the wind all the while.

Link found that he could do nothing more than stare in sheer skepticism, after all, this couldn't be real… could it? Could Ganondorf, the king of all things malevolent, truly be dead?

Did he truly… _win_?

He _did_…

He was… victorious.

He was done…

It was over.

He finished what he had set out to do. He defeated the dark lord and at last, peace would return to Hyrule.

At last…

He was done…

It was over…

He closed his eyes as a sigh of relief left his bloody lips. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he realized that the kids would be able to go home and his friends and family could live happily and worry-free again. His heart fluttered at the pride in accomplishing what he thought originally was unobtainable. The world would be at peace…

With that thought in mind, he could no longer feel anything. He couldn't hear the storm raging above him or the voices approaching him. He couldn't taste the blood building up in his mouth or the mud between his teeth. He couldn't smell the wet grass beneath his feet or the distinct aroma of the rain. He couldn't see the lightning crashing in the distance or the forms hastening to him from both sides. He couldn't feel the pain of his injuries or the blood soaking all the way through his mail. There was nothing but the contentment in completing his task.

He wanted to open his eyes and tell them that everything was going to be alright, but he could do no such thing. He was too weak to do anything, and it didn't take long for him to tumble to the damp ground with a dull thud without even realizing he had done so. Soon the very little he _could_ sense faded away, and he was left with nothing but the empty blackness of his unconsciousness.

It was over… he kept telling himself.

He had won…

It was over…

It was over…

It was over…

* * *

**_Until your heart ceases to beat inside your chest._**


End file.
